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THF 


FRUIT  GARDEN; 

A TREATISE 


INTENDED  TO  EXPLAIN  AND  ILLUSTRATE  THE  PHYSIOLOGY  OF  FRUIT 
TREES,  THE  THEORY  AND  PRACTICE  OF  ALL  OPERATIONS 

CONNECTED  WITH  THE 

PBOPAGATION,  TRANSPLANTING,  PRUNING  AND  TRAINING  O! 
ORCHARD  AND  GARDEN  TREES,  AS  STANDARDS,  DWARFS, 
PYRAMIDS,  ESPALIERS,  ETC., 


THE  LAYING  OUT  AND  ARRANGING  DIFFERENT  KINDS  OF 

OKCHARDS  AND  GARDENS, 

THE  SELECTION  OF  SUITABLE  VARIETIES  FOR  DIFFERENT  PURPOSES  AND 
LOCALITIES,  GATHERING  AND  PRESERVING  FRUITS,  TREATMENT  Cr 
DISEASES,  DESTRUCTION  OF  INSECTS,  DESCRIPTIONS  AND 
USES  OF  IMPLEMENTS,  ETC. 

fllUSTRATED  WITH  UPWARDS  OP  ISO  FIGURES, 


REPRESENTING  DIFFERENT  PARTS  OF  TREES,  ALL  PRACTICAL  OPERATIONS. 
FORMS  OF  TREES,  DESIGNS  FOR  PLANTATIONS,  IMPLEMENTS,  ETC. 


BY  P.  BARRY, 

O?  THE  MOUNT  HOPF.  NURSERIES.  ROCHESTER,  NEW  YORF 


ROCHESTER,  N.  Y: 

FTTBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR 

1863, 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNPJR 

im  tha  Clark'!  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Sontham 
District  of  New  York. 


6 

B S.1 
l?6'l 


INTRODUCTION. 


1 HE  subject  of  this  treatise  is  one  in  which  almost  all  classes 
of  the  community  are  more  or  less  practically  engaged  and  inter- 
ested. Agriculture  is  pursued  by  one  class,  and  commerce  by 
another  ; the  mechanic  arts,  fine  arts,  and  learned  professions  hy 
others ; but  fruit  culture,  to  a greater  or  less  extent,  by  all. 

It  is  the  desire  of  every  man,  whatever  may  be  his  pursuit  or 
condition  in  life,  whether  he  live  in  town  or  country,  to  enjoy  fine 
fruits,  to  provide  them  for  his  family,  and,  if  possible,  to  cultivate 
s the  trees  in  his  own  garden  with  his  own  hands.  The  agricul- 
turist, whatever  be  the  extent  or  condition  of  his  grounds"  con 
siders  an  orcAard,  at  least,  indispensable.  The  merchant  or  pro 
fessional  man  who  has,  by  half  a lifetime  of  drudgery  in  town, 
^^seeured  a fortune  or  a competency  that  enables  him  to  retire  to  a 
V^country  or  suburban  villa,  looks  forward  to  his  fruit  garden  as  one 
-^of  the  chief  soui  ces  of  those  rural  comforts  and  pleasures  he  so 
.^longand  so  earnestly  labored  and  hoped  for.  The  artizan  who 
'has  laid  up  enough  from  his  earnings  to  purchase  a homestead, 

^ ^considers  the  planting  of  his  fruit  trees  as  one  of  the  first  and 
Vmost  important  steps  towards  improvement.  He  anticipates  the 
^kasure  of  tending  them  in  his  spare  hours,  of  watching  their 
sjgrdwth  and  progress  to  maturity,  and  of  gathering  their  ripe  and 
^ ^ ^^delicious  fruits,  and  placing  them  before  his  family  and  friends  as 


IV 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  valued  products  of  his  own  garden,  and  of  his  own  skill  and 
labor.  Fortunately,  in  the  United  States,  land  is  so  easily  ob- 
tained as  to  be  within  the  reach  of  every  industrious  man  ; and 
the  climate  and  soil  being  so  favorable  to  the  production  of  fruit, 
Americans,  if  they  be  not  already,  must  become  truly  “ a nation 
of  fruit  growers.” 

Fruit  culture,  therefore,  whether  considered  as  a branch  of 
profitable  industry,  or  as  exercising  a most  beneficial  influence 
upon  the  health,  habits,  and  tastes  of  the  people,  becomes  a great 
national  interest,  and  whatever  may  assist  in  making  it  better  un- 
derstood, and  more  interesting,  and  better  adapted  to  the  various 
wants,  tastes,  and  circumstances  of  the  community,  cannot  fail  to 
subserve  the  public  good. 

Within  a few  years  past  it  has  received  an  unusual  degree  of 
attention.  Plantations  of  all  sorts,  orchards,  gardens,  and  nur- 
series, have  increased  in  numbers  and  extent  to  a degree  quite  un- 
precedented ; not  in  one  section  or  locality,  but  from  the  extreme 
nortlj  to  the  southern  limits  of  the  fruit-growing  region.  Foreign 
supplies  of  trees  have  been  required  to  meet  the  suddenly  and 
greatly  increased  demand.  Treatises  and  periodicals  devoted  to  the 
subject  have  increased  rapidly  and  circulated  widely.  Horticul- 
tural societies  have  been  organized  in  all  parts ; while  exhibitions, 
and  national,  state,  and  local  conventions  of  fruit  growers,  have 
been  held  to  discuss  the  merits  of  fruits  and  other  kindred  topics. 

To  those  unacquainted  with  the  previous  condition  of  fruit  cul- 
ture in  the  interior  of  the  country,  this  new  planting  spirit  has 
appeared  as  a sort  of  speculative  mania,  and  the  idea  has  sug- 
gested itself  to  them  that  the  country  will  soon  be  overstocked 
with  fruits.  This  is  a greatly  mistaken  apprehension.  After  all 
that  has  been  done,  let  us  look  at  the  actual  condition  of  fruit 
culture  at  the  present  time.  In  the  best  fruit-growing  counties 


INTIiODUCTION. 


V 


In  the  State  of  New  York,  the  entire  fruit  plantations  of  more 
than  three  fourths  of  the  agricultural  population  consist  of  very 
ordinary  orchards  of  apples.  Not  a dish  of  fine  pears,  plums, 
cherries,  apricots,  grapes,  or  raspberries,  has  ever  appeared  on 
their  tables,  and  not  a step  has  yet  been  taken  to  produce  them. 
People  are  but  beginning  to  learn  the  uses  of  fruits,  and  to 
appreciate  their  importance. 

At  one  time  apples  were  grown  chiefly  for  cider  ; now  they  are 
considered  indispensable  articles  of  food.  The  finer  fruits,  that 
were  formerly  considered  as  luxuries  only  for  the  tables  of  the 
wealthy,  are  beginning  to  take  their  place  among  the  ordinary 
supplies  of  every  man’s  table ; and  this  taste  must  grow  from 
year  to  year,  with  an  increased  supply.  Those  who  consume  a 
bushel  of  fruit  this  year,  will  require  double  or  treble  that  quantity 
next.  The  rapid  increase  of  population  alone,  creates  a demand 
to  an  extent  that  few  people  are  aware  of.  The  city  of  Roches- 
ter has  added  20,000  to  her  numbers  in  ten  years.  Let  such  an 
increase  as  this  in  all  our  cities,  towns,  and  villages,  be  estimated, 
and  see  what  an  aggregate  annual  amount  of  new  consumers  it 
presents. 

New  markets  are  continually  presenting  themselves  and  de- 
manding large  supplies.  New  and  more  perfect  modes  of  pack- 
ing and  shipping  fruits,  and  of  drying,  preserving,  and  preparing 
them  for  various  purposes  to  which  they  have  not  hitherto  been 
appropriated,  are  beginning  to  enlist  attention  and  inquiry. 

Immense  amounts  of  money  are  annually  expended  in  import- 
ing grapes,  wines,  figs,  nuts,  prunes,  raisins,  currants,  almonds, 
&c.,  many  of  which  might  be  produced  perfectly  well  on  our  own 
soil.  Pears  have  actually  been  imported  from  France  by  the 
New  York  confectioners,  this  present  season,  (1851.)  These 
are  facts  that  should  be  well  understood  by  proprietors  of  lands, 


vi 


INTRODUCTION 


and  especially  by  those  who  have  allowed  themselves  to  imagine 
that  fruit  will  soon  be  so  plenty  as  not  to  he  worth  the  growing 

It  is  too  soon  by  a century  to  apprehend  an  over  supply  of 
fruits  in  the  United  States,  except  of  some  very  perishable  sort, 
in  a season  of  unusual  abundance,  in  some  particular  locality 
where  one  branch  of  culture  is  mainly  carried  on. 

It  is  because  fruit  culture  has  been  almost  entirely  neglected 
until  within  a few  years,  that  the  present  activity  appears  so  ex- 
traordinary. A vast  majority  of  the  people  were  quite  unaware 
of  the  treasures  within  their  reach ; and  that  in  regard  to  soil  and 
climate  they  possessed  advantages  for  fruit  growing  superior  to 
any  other  nation  We  had  no  popular  works  or  periodicals  to 
diffuse  information  or  awaken  interest  on  the  subject.  For  four- 
teen or  fifteen  years  Hovey’s  Magazine  of  Horticulture  was  the 
only  journal  exclusively  devoted  to  gardening  subjects,  and  it 
only  found  its  way  into  the  hands  of  the  more  advanced  culti- 
vators. We  had  some  treatises  on  fruits,  but  none  of  them  cir- 
culated sufficiently  to  effect  much  good.  Previous  to  1845,  Ken^ 
rick^s  American  Orchardist^  and  Manning's  Book  of  Fruits^  were 
the  principal  treatises  that  had  any  circulation  worth  naming. 
Coxc’s  work,  Floy’s,  Prince’s,  and  some  others,  were  confincU 
almost  wholly  to  nursery-men,  or  persons  already  engaged  and 
interested  in  fruit  culture  in  the  older  parts  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Downing’s  ‘‘  Fruit  and  Fruit  Trees  of  America,”  that  ap- 
peared in  1845,  was  the  first  treatise  of  the  kind  that  really  ob 
tained  a wide  and  general  circulation. 

It  made  its  appearance  at  a favorable  moment,  just  i8  the 
planting  spirit  referred  to  was  beginning  to  manifest  itself,  and 
when,  more  than  at  any  previous  period,  such  a work  was  needed. 
Mr.  Downing  enjoyed  great  advantages  over  any  previous  Ameri- 
can writer.  During  the  ten  years  that  had  elapsed  since  the 


rNTRODUCTION. 


Vll 


publication  of  Kenrick’s  and  Prince’s  treatises,  a great  fund  of 
materials  had  been  accumulating.  Messrs.  Manning,  Kenrick, 
Prince,  Wilder,  and  many  others,  had  been  industriously  collect- 
ing fruits  both  at  home  and  abroad.  The  Massachusetts  Horti- 
cultural Society  was  actively  engaged  in  its  labors.  The  London 
Horticultural  Society  had  made  great  advancement  in  its  exami- 
nation and  trial  of  fruits,  and  had  corrected  a multitude  of  long 
standing  errors  in  nomenclature. 

Mr.  Downing’s  work  had  the  benefit  of  all  this  ; and  possessing 
the  instructive  feature  of  outline  figures  of  fruits,  and  being  writ- 
ten in  a very  agreeable  and  attractive  style,  it  possessed  the  ele- 
ments of  popularity  and  usefulness  in  an  eminent  degree.  Hence 
it  became  at  once  the  text-book  of  every  man  who  sought  for 
pomological  information,  or  felt  interested  in  fruits  or  fruit  trees  , 
and  to  it  is  justly  attributable  much  of  the  taste  and  spirit  on  the 
subject,  and  the  increased  attention  to  nomenclature,  that  so  dis- 
tinguishes the  present  time.  Mr.  Thomas’s  recent  treatise,  ‘‘  The 
American  Fruit  Culturist,”  on  the  same  plan  as  Mr.  Downing’s, 
is  also  a popular  work,  and  will  be  the  means  of  diffusing  both 
taste  and  information.  Mr  Thomas  is  a close  and  accurate 
observer,  and  his  descriptions  are  peculiarly  concise,  methodical 
and  minute.  ‘‘  Cole’s  Fruit  Book”  is  also  a recent  treatise,  and 
on  account  of  its  cheapness  and  the  vast  accumulation  of  facts 
and  information  it  contains  is  highly  popular  and  useful.  Be- 
sides these,  periodicals  devoted  more  or  less  to  the  subject,  have 
increased  in  number  and  greatly  extended  their  circulation,  so 
that  information  is  now  accessible  to  all  who  desire  it. 

. The  light  which  has  been  shed  upon  fruit-growing  by  these 
works,  and  the  taste  they  have  created,  have  not  only  improved 
old  systems  of  cultivation,  but  introduced  Tiew  ones.  Until  within 
a few  years  nothing  was  said  or  known  among  the  great  body  of 


mi 


INTEODUOnON. 


cultivators,  or  even  nursery-men,  of  dwarfing  trees,  of  the  uses  of 
certain  stocks,  or  of  modes  of  propagation  and  pruning  by  which 
trees  are  made  to  bear  early,  and  are  adapted  to  different  circum- 
stances. The  entire  routine  of  the  propagation  and  management 
of  trees  was  conducted  generally  in  the  simplest  and  rudest  manner 
Whether  for  the  garden  or  the  orchard  they  were  propagated  in 
the  same  manner,  on  the  same  stocks,  and  in  the  same  form 
taken  from  the  nursery,  planted  out  and  left  there  to  assume  such 
forms  as  nature  or  accident  might  impose,  and  produce  fruit  at 
such  a time  as  natural  circumstances  would  admit. 

The  art  of  planting  fifty  trees  on  a quarter  of  an  acre  of 
ground,  and  bringing  them  into  a fruitful  state  in  four  or  five 
years  at  most,  was  entirely  unknown.  Small  gardens  were  en- 
cumbered with  tall,  unshapely,  and  unfruitful  trees,  that  afforded 
no  pleasure  to  the  cultivator ; and  thousands  of  persons,  who  are 
nov7  the  most  enthusiastic  cultivators,  were  entirely  discouraged 
from  the  attempt 

Fruit  gardening,  properly  speaking,  may  be  said  only  to  have 
commenced.  It  is  no  longer  a matter  of  mere  utility,  but  of 
taste  also ; and,  therefore,  adaftation^  variety^  and  beauty^  are 
sought  for  in  garden  trees  and  modes  of  culture  and  management. 
Nothing  so  distinguishes  the  taste  of  modern  planting  as  the 
partiality  for  dwarf  trees,  and  the  desire  to  obtain  information  in 
regard  to  their  propagation  and  treatment. 

This  has  not  been  anticipated  by  any  of  our  authors.  The 
standard  or  orchard  system  al  :ne  is  fully  treated  of,  as  being  the 
only  one  practised  ; and  this  requires  so  little  skill  in  the  art  of 
culture,  that  only  the  simplest  instructions  have  been  given. 
The  very  elements  of  the  science  have  been  unexplained  and 
unstudied,  and  cultivators  in  the  main  find  themselves  both  desti- 
tute of  knowledge  in  regard  to  the  management  of  trees  in  the 


INTRODTJOTION. 


IX 


more  refined  and  artificial  forms,  and  the  sourceis  from  which  to 
obtain  it.  But  a very  small  proportion  of  those  engaged  or  en- 
gaging in  tree  culture  have  studied  the  physiology  of  trees  in  any 
degree.  Very  few  have  the  slightest  knowledge  of  the  modes  of 
growth  and  bearing  of  the  different  species  of  fruits,  or  even  of  the 
difference  between  wood  or  leaf  buds,  and  fruit  buds.  Very  few 
understand  the  functions  of  the  different  parts  of  trees,  and  the 
relation  in  which  they  stand  one  to  another ; the  principles  that 
govern  and  regulate  the  growth  and  maturity,  the  formation  of 
wood  and  the  production  of  fruit.  Practice  is  no  better  under- 
stood than  principle.  Persons  engaged  largely  in  tree  growing 
will  frequently  ask  the  most  absurd  questions  on  the  subject  of 
propagation,  of  stocks,  of  pruning,  &c.,  matters  that  should  be 
understood  by  every  man  who  has  a single  tree  to  manage,  but 
especially  indispensable  to  those  who  wish  to  succeed  in  conduct- 
ing garden  trees  under  certain  modified  forms,  more  or  less 
opposed  to  the  natural.  The  preparation  of  ground,  laying  out 
small  gardens,  the  selection  of  suitable  trees,  and  a multitude  cf 
minor  but  nevertheless  important  matters,  are  very  imperfectly 
understood.  Neither  our  state  nor  national  governments  have 
ever  manifested  a disposition  to  favor  the  rural  arts  with  any- 
thing like  a liberal  patronizing  policy.  Advanced,  wealthy  and 
powerful  as  we  are,  not  a single  step  has  been  taken,  in  earnest, 
to  establish  model  farms  or  model  gardens,  in  which  experiments 
might  be  made  and  examples  given  that  would  enlighten  cultiva- 
tors, and  elevate  and  honor  their  profession.  Whatever  advance 
has  been  made  is  due  wholly  to  individual  taste,  energy,  and  enter* 
prise ; and  to  these  alone  are  we  permitted  to  look  for  future 
progress. 

Having  for  many  years  devoted  much  attention  to  this  particu- 
lar branch  of  culture,  and  feeling  deeply  interested  in  its  success, 


X 


INTKODUCTION. 


and  having,  by  a business  intercourse  with  cultivators  in  all  parts 
of  the  country,  an  ample  opportunity  of  understanding  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  information  desired,  I have  prepared  the  fol- 
lowing pages  to  supply  it  at  least  in  part. 

I am  well  convinced  that  the  work  is  neither  perfect  nor  com- 
plete. It  has  been  prepared,  during  a few  weeks  of  the  winter,  in 
the  midst  of  other  engagements  that  rendered  it  impossible  to  be- 
stow upon  it  the  necessary  care  and  labor.  My  original  intention 
was  to  give  a few  brief  directions  for  the  management  of  garden 
trees,  but  it  was  suggested  by  friends  that  it  would  prove  more 
generally  useful  by  adding  a sketch  of  the  entire  routine  of  opera- 
tions, from  the  propagation  in  the  nursery  to  the  management  in 
the  orchard  and  garden.  This  has  involved  much  more  labor 
than  it  was  intended  to  bestow  on  it,  or  than  I could  really  spare 
from  business.  It  has,  therefore,  been  performed  hastily,  and, 
of  course,  in  many  respects  imperfectly,  but  yet  it  is  hoped  it 
contains  such  an  exposition  of  principles  and  practices  as  cannot 
fail  to  diffuse  amongst  the  inexperienced  much  needed  informa- 
tion. All  doubtful  theories,  and  whatever  had  not  a direct  prac- 
tical bearing  on  the  subjects  treated,  have  been  excluded,  both 
for  the  sake  of  brevity,  and  to  avoid  anything  calculated  to 
mislead.  The  principles  and  practices  set  forth  are  not  new, 
visionary,  or  doubtful,  but  such  as  are  taught  and  practised  by  the 
most  accomplished  cultivators  of  the  day,  and  have  been  success- 
fully carried  out  in  the  daily  operations  of  our  own  establishment. 

In  the  pruning  and  management  of  garden  trees,  the  French 
arboriculturists  surpass  all  others.  Their  trees  are  models  that 
have  no  equals,  and  that  all  the  world  admire.  The  English, 
notwithstanding  their  great  gardening  skill,  and  their  refined 
and  elegant  modes  of  culture,  are  far  behind  the  French  in  the 
management  of  fruit  trees.  French  systems  of  pruning  and 


rnTRODUCTION. 


xi 


training  are  at  this  moment  advocated  and  held  up  as  models  by 
such  men  as  Mr.  Robert  Thompson,  head  of  the  fruit  department 
in  the  London  Horticultural  Society’s  Garden  ; by  Mr.  Rivers, 
well  known  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  as  one  of  the  most  ener- 
getic and  accomplished  nurserymen  in  Great  Britain ; and  by 
many  others  whose  skill  and  judgment  command  attention.  Their 
introduction  to  English  gardens  is  going  on  rapidly,  and  bids  fair 
to  revolutionize  their  whole  practice  of  fruit  tree  culture. 

D’Albret’s  great  work  on  pruning  is  conceded  to  be  the  best 
extant  on  that  subject.  He  was  the  pupil  and  successor  of  M. 
Thouin,  the  world-renowned  vegetable  physiologist  and  founder 
of  the  great  national  gardens  at  Paris.  His  practice  is  founded 
upon  the  true  principles  of  vegetable  physiology,  and  strengthened 
by  long  years  of  the  most  minute  and  successful  experiment. 

M.  Dubrieul,  late  conductor  of  the  fruit  department  in  the 
Garden  of  Rouen,  has  also  published  an  excellent  treatise  on 
arboriculture  ; and  there  are  many  other  French  works  on  the 
subject,  all  showing  how  thoroughly  the  science  is  there  under- 
stood, and  how  minutely  and  skilfully  its  principles  are  dealt  with. 
■>11,  These  as  well  as  the  best-managed  gardens  and  the  most 
perfect  and  beautiful  trees  in  France  and  Belgium,  have  been 
carefully  studied. 

The  knowledge  thus  acquired,  added  to  the  experience  of  many 
years’  actual  and  extensive  practice,  constitutes  the  basis  of  the 
course  recommended. 

The  same  minute  detail  that  characterizes  European  works  has 
not  been  attempted,  yet  much  detail  is  absolutely  necessary  in 
order  to  prevent  misapprehension  on  the  part  of  those  wholly 
inexperienced. 

Writers  are  apt  to  treat  simple  matters  too  much  in  the  general, 
presuming  them  to  be  well  understood.  Detail  is  always  tedious 


xii 


ENTRODUCTION. 


t(3  those  familiar  with  the  subject,  but  nothing  less  can  be  satisfao 
tory  to  the  student. 

For  the  sake  of  convenient  reference,  the  different  branches  ot 
the  subject  have  been  separated  into  four  parts.  The  first 
tieats  of  general  principles,  a knowledge  of  the  structure, 
character,  and  functions  of  the  different  parts  of  trees,  modes  of 
growth,  bearing,  &c.,  &c.  ; soils,  manures,  modes  of  propagation, 
&:c.  This  must  be  the  ground-work  of  the  study  of  tree  culture 
The  second  treats  of  the  nursery.  The  third  of  plantations^ 
orchards  of  different  kinds,  gardens,  &c.  ; their  laying  out  and 
management,  and  of  the  pi  uning  and  training  of  trees  in  different 
forms.  The  fourth  contains  abridged  descriptions  of  the  best 
fruits,  a chapter  on  gathering  and  preserving  fruits,  another  on 
diseases  and  insects,  and  another  on  the  implements  in  com- 
mon use. 

Illustrations  have  been  introduced  wherever  the  nature  of  the 
subject  seemed  to  require  them,  and  it  was  possible  to  get  them 
prepared.  It  is  believed  that  these  will  prove  of  great  value  in 
imparting  a correct  knowledge  of  the  various  subjects.  Upwards 
of  one  hundred  of  the  more  important  figures  have  been  drawn 
from  nature  by  Prof.  Sintzenich  of  Rochester. 

P.  B, 

Mount  Hojpe  Garden  and  Nurseries^  ) 

Rochester  N.  Y.  \ 


CONTENTS 


PART  I. 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Names,  Descriptions,  and  Offices  of  the  Different  Parts 
Fruit  Trees,  ...... 


Soils,  . 


CHAPTER  II. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Manures,  ^ . • . • • 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Different  Modes  of  Propagating  Fruit  Trers,  . 


CHAPTER  V. 

Pruning — Its  Principles  and  Practice,  . 


XIV 


CONTENTS. 


PAKT  II. 

THE  NURSERY 105 

PART  III. 

PLANTATIONS,  ORCHARDS,  ETC. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Permanent  Plantations  of  Fruit  Trees,  . . . 157 

CHAPTER  II. 

Pruning  applied  to  the  Different  Species  of  Fruit  Trees 
UNDER  D FFERENT  FoRMS,  .....  203 


PART  IV. 

SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 

CHAPTER  1. 

Abridged  Descriptions  of  Select  Varieties  of  Fruits,  71*^ 

CHAPTER  II. 

Gathering,  Packing,  Transportation  and  Preservation  of  Fruits,  354 

CHAPTER  III. 

Diseases  and  Insects,  .....  30' 


CHAPTER  IV. 


m 


ffuRSERY,  Orchard  and  Fruit  Garden  Implements 


PART  I 


GENEKAL  PPwlNCIPLES. 


•'■‘•>20 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


CHAPTER  I. 


NAMES,  DESCEIPTIONS,  AND  OFFICES  OF  THE  DIF 
FERENT  PARTS  OF  FRUIT  TREES. 


General  RemarTts. — . 
of  many  parts,  svich  as 


11% 


Fi,j.  1 

Fi^.  1,  a tree.  the  collar.  R, 

the  main  root.  C,  lateral  root. 
D,  fibres.  E,  stem  or  trunk.  F, 
main  branches.  G,  secondary 

branches.  H,  shoots,  one  year’s 
« lowth 


■A  Tree  is  a living  body  composed 
roots,  branches,  leaves,  buds,  bios- 
soms,  fruit,  &c.  All  these  have 
different  offices  to  fulfil,  assume 
difierent  forms  and  characters,  and 
are  known  and  designated  from 
one  another  by  different  names 
when  subjected  to  the  practical 
operation  of  culture.  Without 
some  knowledge  of  the  names  and 
structure  of  these  different  parts, 
of  the  principles  that  guide  their 
development,  their  relative  connec- 
tion with,  and  infiuence  upon  one 
another,  tree  culture  cannot  bey 
to  any  man,  really  pleasant,  in- 
tellectual, or  successful ; but  a 
misty,  uncertain,  unintelligible 
routine  of  manual  labor. 

The  industry  of  our  times  is  pe- 
culiarly distinguished  by  the  ap* 
plication  of  science — the  union  of 
theory  with  practice  in  every  de- 
partment ; and  surely  the  votaries 
of  the  garden,  whose  labors,  of 


1 


2 


GENERAL  I^KINCirLES. 


all  others,  should  be  intelligent,  will  not  allow  themselves 
to  fall  benind  and  perform  their  labors  in  the  dark. 

Fully  sensible  of  the  importance  of  this  preliminary 
study,  and  confident  that  the  minute  and  practical  details 
v)f  culture  cannot  be  well  understood  without  it,  I propose 
here,  before  entering  upon  the  main  subject,  to  describe, 
in  as  few  and  as  plain  words  as  possible,  the  structure^ 
character,  connection,  and  respective  offices  of  the  various 
parts  of  fruit  trees,  and  the  names  by  which  each  is 
known  in  practice. 

Section  1. — ^The  Eoot. 

The  Foot  is  composed  of  several  parts. 

1st.  The  collar  {A^  fig.  1),  which  is  the  centre  of  growth, 
or  point  of  union  between  the  root  and  stem,  usually  at 
or  just  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  In  root  graft- 
ing seedlings,  this  is  the  point  where  the  graft  is  set. 

2d.  The  body  or  main  root  (^,  fig.  1),  which  usually 
penetrates  the  earth  in  a vertical  direction,  and  decreases 
in  size  as  it  proceeds  downwards  from  the  collar.  It  is 
also  called  the  tap  root.  A seedling  that  has  not  been 
transplanted  has  usually  but  one  descending  or  tap  root, 
furnished  in  ab  its  length  with  minute  hairy  fibres. 

3d.  The  lateral  roots  fig.  l)are  principal  divisions  or 
branches  of  the.  main  root,  and  take  more  or  less  of  a 
spreading  or  horizontal  direction.  'When  seedlings  are 
transplanted,  having  a portion  of  the  tap  root  cut  oflT, 
these  lateral  or  side  roots  are  immediately  formed. 

4th.  The  fibres  or  rootlets  (2),  fig.  1)  are  the  minute  hair- 
like  roots  which  we  see  most  abundant  on  trees  that  have 
been  frequently  transplanted.  Difiterent  species  of  trees 
vary  much  in  their  natural  tendency  to  produce  fibres. 
Thus  the  pear  and  the  apple  require  frequent  transplant- 
ing, and  often  root  pruning,  to  produce  that  fibrous  condi- 
tion which  is  necessary  to  great  fruitfulness ; whilst  the 


THE  HOOT. 


paradise  apple,  used  as  a stock  for  dwarf  trees,  and  the 
quince,  are  always  quite  fibrous,  the  former  never,  and 
the  latter  seldom  requiring  root  pruning. 

5th.  The  Sjpongioles  are  the  extremities  of  the  fibres, 
porous  and  spongy,  through  wdiich  the  food  of  trees  de- 
rived from  the  soil  is  mainly  absorbed  ; these  points  are 
composed  of  soft,  newly  formed,  delicate  tissue,  and  are 
exceedingly  susceptible  of  injury.  The  slightest  bruise  or 
exposure  to  a dry  or  cold  air  is  fatal  to  them ; and  this 
is  the  reason  wdiy  transplanted  trees  receive  generally 
such  a severe  check  and  so  frequently  die.  If  trees  could 
be  taken  up  in  such  a way  that  these  spongioles  could  all, 
or  mostly,  be  preserved,  trees  w^ould  receive  no  check 
whatever ; hence  lar^^e  trees  are  removed  in  midsummer 
without  a leaf  flagging. 

6th.  Growth  of  Boots. — The  most  popular  theory  at  this 
time  is — that  tfie  growth  of  roots  is  produced  by  the  pro- 
longment  of  the  V'Oody  vessels  of  the  stem,  which  descend 
in  successive  layers  to  the  extremities  of  the  roots,  and 
thus  promote  their  extension. 

When  these  descending  layers  are  interrupted  in  their 
course  by  some  natural  or  accidental  cause,  or  by  art,  as 
wdien  we  cut  off  the  ends  of  roots,  they  pierce  the  bark 
and  form  new  roots  or  new  divisions  of  the  root  in  the 
same  manner  that  branches  are  produced  on  the  stem. 
Thus  the  roots  furnish  food  to  the  stem  and  branches  for 
their  support  and  enlargement,  and  in  return,  the  stem  and 
branches  send  dovv  n layers  of  young  wood  to  increase  and 
solidify  the  root ; the  one  depending  entirely  upon  the  other 
for  its  growth  and  existence.  Practical  cultivators  are* 
familiar  with  many  facts  that  illustrate  the  intimate  rela- 
tions and  mutual  dependency  of  the  roots  and  stems.. 
For  instance,  where  one  portion  of  the  head  or  branches 
is  much  larger  or  more  vigorous  than  the  other,  if  the 
roots  be  examined,  it  will  be  found  that  those  immediately 


GENEliAI.  PRINCIPLES. 


urider,  or  in  direct  connection  with  the  largest  branches, 
will  have  a corresponding  size  and  vigor.  In  cases  where 
one  side  of  the  top  of  a large  tree  is  cut  off‘,  as  in  top 
grafting,  a large  number  of  new  shoots  are  produced  on 
the  cut  branch,  and,  if  the  roots  be  examined  under  or 
in  connection  with  this  branch,  a corresponding  new 
growth  will  be  found  there.  It  is  quite  obvious  from 
these  and  similar  facts,  that  whatever  affects  the  roots  or 
stems  of  trees  favorably  or  unfavorably,  affects  the  whole 
tree.  If  the  foliage  of  a tree  be  entirely  removed  in  the 
growing  season,  the  absorbent  action  of  the  roots  is  sus- 
pended ; and  if  the  spongioles  or  absorbing  points  of  the 
roots  be  cut  off,  the  growth  of  the  top  instantly  ceases. 
Those  who  have  leisure  should  pursue  the  study  of  these 
highly  interesting  and  important  points  still  further. 

Section  2. — ^The  Stem. 

The  Stem  is  that  part  of  a tree  which  starts  from  the 
collar  and  grows  upwards.  It  sustains  all  the  branches, 
and  forms  the  channel  of  communication  between  the 
different  parts  of  the  tree  from  one  extremity  to  the  other. 

Plants  like  the  grape,  with  twining  or  climbing  stems, 
are  called  vines^  and  such  as  have  no  main  stem,  but  have 
branches  diverging  from  the  collar,  as  the  gooseberry,  cur- 
rant, &c.,  are  called  shrubs  or  bushes.  Where  the  stem  is 
destitute  of  branches  to  some  distance  from  the  ground, 
it  is  usuall}^  called  the  trmik. 

Different  Parts  of  the  Stem. — A stem  or  branch  of  a 
tree  is  composed  of  the  following  parts,  which  are  dis- 
tinctly observable  when  we  cut  it  across.  Fig.  2 repre- 
sents the  half  of  a cross  section  of  the  stem  of  a young 
tree  five  years  old. 

1.  The  Rind  or  Outer  Barh  {A)  on  shoots  or  young  parts 
of  trees ; this  is  thin,  smooth,  and  delicate,  like  tissue 


THE  STEM. 


5 


paper,  and  is  easily  separated  from  the  parts  beneath  it. 


cording  to  the  age  of  the 


subject  *^i\d  other  circumstances. 

It  is  these  cortical  layers  that  give  rise  to  the  expres- 
sions smjcth  and  rough  back. 

2.  Thd  Irraor  Barh  or  Liher  {B.) — ^This  is  the  interior 
portion  of  the  bark  in  immediate  contact  with  the  wood. 
It  is  composed  of  perpendicular  layers  of  soft,  flexible 
fibres,  filled  up  with  tissue.  It  is  this  part  of  the  bark  of 
the  Basswood  that  is  used  for  budding  ties,  &c.,  the  tissue 
being  separated  from  the  w’'oody  fibre  by  maceration. 

3.  The  Sap-wood  {0.) — -This  is  the  youngest  or  last- 
formed  layer  of  wood,  immediately  below  the  inner  bark. 
It  is  distinguished  in  all  trees  by  being  softer  and  lighter 
colored  than  the  older  parts. 

4.  The  Heart  or  Perfect-wood  {B) — This  is  the  central 
or  interior  portion  of  the  stem  or  branch,  grown  firm  and 
mature  by  age.  It  is  generally  a shade  darker  in  coloi 
than  the  newly-formed  part  or  sap-wood. 

5.  The  Pith  {E) — This  is  the  soft,  spongy  substance 
in  the  centre  of  the  stem  and  branches.  In  soft-wooded 
species,  like  the  grape  vine,  it  is  large  ; in  hard- wooded 


6 


GKNiOKAL  PUTNOrPLKS. 


species,  as  the  apple,  pear,  (piirice,  &c.,  small.  Li  young 
6lioo:s  it  is  soft,  green,  and  succulent,  and  fills  an  import 
tant  part  in  their  develoi>ment.  In  the  old  part  it  is  drv, 
shrivelled,  and  seems  incapable  of  taking  any  part  in  the 
process  of  vegetation,  and  this  appears  evident  from  the 
fact  that  trees  often  coiitiiine  to  iiourish  after  the  centre, 
^containing  the  pith,  has  begun  to  decay. 

Structure  of  the  Stem. — The  stem  is  composed  of 
‘vvoody  fibre  and  cellular  tissue,  a substance  similar  to  the 
pith.  The  woody  fibre  is  arranged  in  perpendicular  layers, 
'and  the  cellular  tissue  in  horizontal  layers,  running  from 
the  pith  to  the  bark  and  coimectino:  them.  The  miimlin^ 
of  these  two  systems  gives  to  the  surface  of  the  cross  sec- 
'^cion  of  a stem  the  beautiful  veined  or  netted  appearance 
observable  in  fig.  2.  The  perpendicular  layers  of  woody 
fibre  are  most  clearly  observable  when  we  cut  a stem  ver 
tically ; they  are  then  easily  separated  from  one  another. 

, The  layers  or  plates  of  tissue  radiating  from  the  centre 
to  the  stem  are  usually  called  the  medullary  rays. 

The  inner  bark  or  liber,  as  has  been  stated,  is,  like  the 
wood,  composed  of  thin  layers  of  delicate  j)erp)endicular 
fibres  mixed  with  tissue. 

Growth  of  the  Stem. — ^The  stem  of  a tree  is  originally 
the  extension  of  the  cellular  tissue  of  the  seed.  As  soon  as 
leaves  are  formed  they  organize  new  matter,  which  de- 
^scends  and  forms  woody  fibres : the  layers  sent  down  from 
the  firs’,  leaves  are  covered  with  those  sent  down  from  the 
next,  ai  d so  on,  one  layer  after  another  is  produced  until 
the  end  of  the  season,  when  the  leaves  fall  and  growth 
.ceases.  A yearling  tree  has,  therefore,  a greater  number 
of  layers  of  woody  fibre  at  the  collar  than  at  the  top,  and 
is,  consequently,  thicker ; the  second  year  the  buds  on 
the  first  year’s  growth  produce  shoots,  and  these  oi’ganize 
new  layers  of  woody  fibre,  that  descend  and  cover  those 
of  the  previous  year,  and  thus  growth  proceeds  from 


BRANCHES. 


7 


year  to  year.  Between  each  year’s  growth  there  is  gene- 
rally a line,  in  some  cases  more  conspicuous  than  in 
others,  that  mai’lvs  off  the  formation  of  each  year,  so 
tliat  we  are  able  to  reckon  the  ages  of  trees  with  great 
accuracy  by  these  rings.  When  it  happens  that  a tree, 
fi’om  certain  circumstances,  makes  more  growth  one  season 
than  another,  we  find  the  ring  of  that  season  larger.  The 
new  wood  is  always  formed  between  the  inner  bark  and 
the  last  layer  of  Avood,  so  that  one  layer  is  laid  upon,  and 
outside  of  another,  and  the  bark  is  continually  pressed 
outwards. 

The  new  layers  of  bark  are  also  formed  at  the  same 
place,  or  within  the  previous  one.  From  this  mode  of 
growth,  it  results  that  each  layer  of  wood  is  more  deeply 
imbedded  as  others  are  formed  on  the  top  of  it ; and 
each  layer  of  bark  is  pressed  outwards  as  others  are 
formed  within  it.  In  some  cases,  as  in  the  cherry,  for 
example,  the  bark  is  so  tough  as  not  always  to  yield  to 
the  general  expansion  of  the  tree,  and  slitting  is  resorted 
to  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  an  unnatural  rupture, 
which  would  eventually  take  place  by  the  continued 
pressure  of  growth  from  within. 

Section  3. — Branches, 

Branches  are  the  divisions  of  the  stem,  and  have  an 
organization  precisely  similar  : they  are  designated  as, 

1st.  Main  Branches  {F^  fig.  1) ; those  that  are  directly 
connected  with  the  stem  or  trunk.  In  pyramidal  trees, 
they  are  called  lateral  hranches.  The  branches  of  different 
species  and  varieties  of  fruit  trees,  differ  much  in  their 
habits  of  growth ; and  it  is  highly  important  to  the  planter  to 
consider  these  peculiarities,  because  certain  habits  of  growth 
are  better  adapted  to  particular  circumstances  than  others. 
Thus  we  have  erect  hranches  (fig.  3),  which  produce  trees 


8 


GENEEAI.  PRINCIPLES. 


of  an  upright  and  compact  form.  Curved  erect  'branches 
(fig.  4),  proceeding  almost  horizontally  from  the  stem  for 
shoi4  distance,  and  then  becoming  erect  • these,  also, 


Pigs.  3,  A,  5,  different  habits  of  growth  of  trees.  3.  erect;  4,  curved  erect;  5, 
tppreading  or  horizontal. 


form  upright  symmetrical  heads,  but  much  more  open  than 
the  preceding.  Also,  horizontal  or  spreading  branches 
(fig.  5),  that  form  wide-spreading  heads  with  irregular 
outline.  And,  lastly,  drooping  'branches^  when  they  fall 
below  the  horizontal  line.  The  branches  of  most  varie- 
ties of  apples  and  pears  become  pendulous  when  they 
have  borne  some  time ; and  even  in  young  trees  of  par- 
ticular varieties,  some  of  the  branches  assume  a drooping 
and  irre«:ular  habit. 

2d.  Secondary  Branches  {G^  fig.  1),  are  the  divisions 
of  the  main  branches : occasionally  those  near  the  stem 
take  such  a prominent  part  in  forming  the  outline  of  the 
tree,  as  to  assume  all  the  character  of  main  branches,  ex 
cepting  in  position. 

3d.  Shoots  (AT,  fig.  1).  This  is  the  name  by 


Fio.  8 


Fig.  4. 


Fig.  5. 


BRANCHES. 


9 


young  parts  arc  designated  from  the  time  they  emerge 
from  the  hud  until  they  have  completed  their  first 
season’s  growth.  These  have  also  important  peculiarities 
that  serve  t'^  distinguish  certain  varieties.  Tney  are  vari- 
ously designated  as  stout  or  slender^  stiff  or  flexible^  erect 
or  sjyreadmg^  short  jointed  if  the  buds  be  close  together, 
and  long  jointed  when  the  contrary.  The  colors  of  their 
bark  are  also  strikingly  different,  and  form  very  obvious 
distinctions  amongst  varieties.  The  Snow  Peachy  for  in- 
stance, has  pale  greenish  shoots,  by  which  it  is  at  once 
distinguished.  The  Jargonelle^Postiezer^  and  many  other 
var'  eties  of  the  pear,  have  dark  purfflisli  shoots,  while 
thp  Vix  and  St.  Germain  are  quite  yellowish.^  the  Qlout 


Fig  6,  wood  branch  of  the  apple.  7,  fruit  branch  ; B,  C,  young  sp*irg  ob  twi 
f car-old  wood.  8,  fruit  branch  of  the  pear  ; B,  C,  young  spurs  on  two«yefir>ol 
wood. 


Fio,  6. 


Fig.  7. 


Fig.  8. 


tO 


vSiiNERAL  PRINCIPLES 


Morceau^  grey  or  drah^  and  the  Bartlett  and  Bvffam 
quite  reddish.  The  shoots  of  certain  varieties  of  ajq^les 
and  pears,  and  esj^ecially  jilums,  are  distinguished  by 
being  downy furnished  to  a greater  or  less  extent  with  a 
soft  and  hairy  covering — in  some  cases  barely  observ- 
able. 

4:th.  Wood  Branches  (fig.  6)  are  those  bearing  only 
wood  buds. 

5th.  Fruit  Branches  are  those  bearing  fruit  buds  ex- 


clusively. They  are  presented  to  us  under  difierent  forms 
and  circumstances,  all  of  which  it  is  of  the  highest  im- 
portance to  understand. 

In  kernel  fruits.^  such  as  the  apple  and  pear,  the  most 
ordinary  form  of  the  fruit  branch  is  that  generally  called 
fruit  sjour  (^,  i?,  C\  figs.  7,  8,  9).  It  appears  first  as 
a prominent  bud,  as  in  fig.  7,  on  wood  at  least  two  years 
old ; and  for  two  or  three  seasons  it  produces  but  a rosette 

of  leaves,  and  con- 
tinues to  increase 
in  length,  as  in  fig. 
9.  After  it  has 
^ C produced  fruit,  it 

generally  branches, 
and,  if  properly  managed,  will 
bear  fruit  for  many  years.-  Ap- 
ple and  pear  trees  of  bearing 
age,  and  in  a fruitful  condition, 
will  be  found  covered  with 
these  spurs  on  all  parts  of  the 
head  excej)t  the  young  shoots. 
In  addition  to  the  fruit  spun\ 
there  are  on  the  kernel  fruits 
slender branches.^  about  as 
large  as  a goose  quill,  and  from 
six  to  eight  inches  in  length  (fig.  10) ; the  buds  are  long. 


Fia.  9. 

Fig.  9,  fruit  branch  of  the  pear. 
A,  B.  and  C,  older  spurs. 


BKANCHES. 


11 


narrow,  and  prominent,  and  tlie  first  year  or  two  after 
their  appearance,  produce  but  rosettes  of  leaves,  yielding 
fruit  generally  about  the  third  year.  On  trees  well  fur- 
nishecT  with  fruit  spurs,  these  slender  branches  are  of 
little  account,  but  they  are  useful 
on  young  trees  not  fully  in  a bear- 
ing state.  They  are  generally  pro- 
duced on  the  lower  or  older  parts 
of  the  branches  or  stem,  and,  in 
the  first  place,  are  slender  shoots 
with  wood  buds  only ; but  owing  to 
their  unfavorable  position  and  fee- 
ble structure,  they  receive  only  a 
small  portion  of  the  ascending  sap, 
and  the  consequence  is,  they  be- 
come stunted,  and  transformed 
into  fruit  branches.  In  pruning 
young  trees,  slender  shoots  are  fre- 
quently bent  over,  or  fastened  in  a 
crooked  position  to  transform  them 
into  fruit  branches  of  this  kind; 
but  this  will  be  treated  of  in  its 
proper  place. 

Certain  varieties  of  apples  have 
a natural  habit  of  bearing  the  fruit 
on  the  points  of  the  lateral  shoots  ; 
and  frequently  these  terminal  fruit 
buds  are  formed  during  the  first 
season’s  growth  of  the  shoot.  Fig. 

11  is  an  example ; A is  the  point 

where  a fruit  was  borne  last  season ; 5,  a shoot  of  last 
season;  and  C its  terminal  bud,  which  is  a fruit  bud. 
The  fruit  branches  of  the  jpeacTi^  apricot^  and  nectarine^ 
are  productions  of  one  season’s  growth ; the  fruit  buds 
form  one  season  and  blossom  the  next*  but  as  on  the 


Fig.  10. 


Fig.  11 


Fig*  10,  slender  fruit  branck 
of  the  apple — all  the  buds  are 
fruit  buds.  Fig.  11,  a branch 
of  the  apple  showing  the  ten- 
dency of  some  varieties  to 
bear  on  the  points  of  the 
branches.  A,  the  point  where 
a fruit  was  borne  last  season  : 
B,  a shoot  of  last  year  j C,  its 
terminal  fruit  bud. 


12 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


Fig.  12,  fruit  spur  of  the 
peach  on  the  old  wood. 


apple  and  pear,  there 
are  different  forms 
of  the  fruit  branch. 

In  the  first  place 
the  fridt  sj)ur  (J., 
fig.  12),  a group  of 
buds  like  a bouquet ; 
these  are  little  stunt- 
ed branches  on  the 
older  wood  that  have 
assumed  this  form. 
The  most  impoilant 
fruit  branches  of  these  trees  are  the  vigorous 
shoots  of  the  last  season’s  growth,  containing 
both  fruit  and  wood  buds  (fig.  13),  and  the 
slender  fruit  branches,  bearing  all  single 
fruit  buds,  except  a wood  bud  or  two  at  the 
base.  Fig.  14  represents  such  a branch  of 
the  peach,  A and  B being  wood  buds.  The 
fruit  branches  of  the  plum  and  cherry^  and 
AiQ  gooseherry  currant^  are  similarly  pro- 
duced. A yearling  shoot,  for  instance,  the 
second  season,  will  produce  a shoot  from  its 
terminal  bud,  and  probably  shoots  from  two  or 
three  other  buds  immediately  below  the  ter- 
minal, whilst  those  lower  down  will  be  trans- 
formed into  fruit  buds,  and  produce  fruit 
the  third  season.  Fig.  15  is  a branch  of  the 
cherry.  A is  the  two-year-old  wood ; 
one  year  ; C and  fruit  spurs  on  the  two- 
year-old  wood,  with  a wood  bud  usually  at 
the  point.  Fig.  16  is  a fruit  spur  from  the 
">lder  w^ood;  A,  the  wood  bud  at  it?  point. 


Fig.  13 


Fig.  13,  mixe'  ibod  and  fruit  branches  of  rne  peach  ; C.  D,  E.  fruit  buds  ; F,  G 
leaf  buds ; ; /.uble  buds  ; C,  triple  buds,  the  two  side  buds  teing  fruit  bodi 
**nd  the  centre  c.  a leafbud. 


BRANCHES. 


13 


Fig.  IT  ifj  a brand)  of  the  plum ; A,  the  two-year-old 
wood;  one  year  old;  6'and.  Z>,  spurs.  Fig.  18  is  a 


are  produced  to  replace 
those  that  bear,  and  so 
the  spui-s  continue  fruit- 
ful for  sevei’al  years,  ac- 


Fig.  16.  Fig.  15. 

15,  branch  of  the  cherry  ; A,  two- 
year-old  wood  ; B,  one  year  ; C and  D, 
fruit  spurs.  Fiff.  16,  fruit  spur  of  the  cherry  ♦ 
the  bud  Aj  in  the  centre  of  the  rroup,  is  • 
wood  bud. 


cording  to  tlie  vigor  of 

the  tree,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  treated. 


14 


< ; I :n  i iL\L  rrjNCiPLES. 


The  fruit  branches  of  the  quince  and 
medlar  are  slender  twigs  on  the  sides  of 
lateral  branches,  and  the  fruit  is  borne  on 
their  points. 


Section  4. — Buds. 

1st.  The  Nature 
and  Functions  of 
Buds, — In  a prac- 
tical point  of  view, 
buds  are  certainly 
the  most  important 
organs  of  trees,  be- 
cause it  is  through 
them  we  are  en- 
abled completely  to 
direct  and  control 
their  forms  and 
their  productiveness. 
Whoever,  therefore, 
wishes  to  become  a 
skilful  and  successful  tree  culturist,  must  not  fail  to 
make  himself  familiar  with  all  their  forms,  modifications, 
modes  of  develoj)ment,  and  the  purposes  they  are  adapted 
to  fulfil  in  the  formation  of  the  tree  and  its  products.  The 
immediate  causes  of  the  production  of  buds  on  the  growing 
shoots  of  trees,  and  the  sources  from  which  they  spring  or 
in  which  they  originate,  are  alike  thus  far  mysterious, 
notwithstanding  they  have  been  the  subject  of  a vast  deal 
of  research  and  speculation  among  botanists  and  vegetable 
physiologists  for  many  ages.  We  are  able,  however,  to 
trace  clearly  and  satisfactorily  the  objects  they  are 


Fig.  18. 


Fig.  17. 


Fig.  17,  branch  of  the  plum  ; Jl,  two-year-old 
wood  ; n,  one  year  old  ; C and  D,  spurs.  Fig.  18, 
fruit  spur  of  the  plum  on  the  old  wood. 


BUDS. 


15 


(nteiuleci  t<.  fulfil  ir.  the  development  of  the  tree,  their 
connection  with,  and  dependency  upon  other  parts,  and 
tlie  circumstances  nnder  which  they  can  be  made  to  ac- 
complish specific  purposes. 

Every  bud  contains  the  rudiments  of,  and  is  capable, 
under  favorable  circumstances,  of  producing  a new  indi- 
vidual similar  to  that  on  which  it  is  borne. 

This  fact  is  clearly  demonstrated  in  the  propagation  of 
trees  by  budding,  where  a single  eye  is  removed  from  one 
shoot  and  placed  in  the  wood  of  another,  to  which  it 
unites  and  forms  a new  individual  similar  to  its  parent. 
So  in  propagation  by  eyes,  as  in  the  grape  vine,  where  a 
single  bud  with  a small  ]3ortionof  wood  attached,  becomes 
a perfect  plant. 

Every  perfect  bud  we  find  on  a young  yearling  tree  or 
shoot  is  capable  of  being  developed  into  a branch.  jSTa- 
turally,  they  do  not ; but  we  know  that  by  the  application 
of  art  they  can  be  readily  forced  to  do  so. 

For  instance,  the  buds  of  a yearling  tree,  if  left  to  take 
their  natural  course,  will  only  in  part  produce  branches, 
and  these  will  generally  be  nearer  to  the  extremities, 
where  they  are  the  most  excitable,  being  in  closer  con- 
nection with  the  centre  of  vegetation : but  we  cause  the 
lower  ones  to  develope  branches,  by  cutting  off  those 
abo^^e  them  to  the  extent  that  the  particular  character  of 
the  species  or  variety,  or  of  the  buds  themselves  in  respect 
to  vigor  and  vitality,  may  require.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
forms  of  trees  are  so  completely  under  our  control  when 
we  possess  the  requisite  knowledge  of  the  character  and 
modes  of  vegetation  of  buds. 

2d.  Different  Names  and  Charaeters  of  Buds, — All  buds 
are  either,  1st,  terminal,^  as  when  on  the  points  of  shoots 
((7,  fig.  19);  2d,  miliary,^  when  accompanied  by  a leaf 

situated  in  the  angle  made  by  the  projection  of  the  leaf 
from  the  shoot  or  branch  {A  B^  fig.  19) ; 3d,  adventi- 


16 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


tioii^s  or  accidental^  when  originating  accidentally  as  it 
were,  or  without  any  regularity,  on  the  older  parts  of  trees, 


Tig.  19.  *B..,  a superior  bud.  P,  inferior.  C,  termin*»V  B au^  F,  *vxillary 

and  unaccompanied  by  a leaf.  They  are  often  produced 
by  the  breaking  or  cutting  off  a branchy  cr  by  a wound 
or  incision  made  in  the  bark.  In  the  ixianagement  of 
trained  trees  special  means  are  taken  to  produce  these 
buds  on  spaces  of  the  trunk  that  it  is  desirable  to  fill  up. 
We  sometimes  see  instances  of  such  buds  on  the  stumps 
of  old  trees. 

The  terminal  and  axillary  buds  produced  on  young 
shoots,  seem  to  have  a different  origin  from  these  acci- 
dental buds — the  former  are  connected  with  the  pith  of 
the  shoot,  as  we  may  see  by  dissecting  them.  On  cutting 
into  a young  shoot  below  a bud  we  find  a cylinder  of  pith 
entering  into  the  bud  from  the  pith  of  the  shoot,  but 
we  do  not  find  this  connection  existing  in  the  case  of  the 
adventitious  buds. 

Practically  considered,  buds  are  classified  as  follows : — 

1.  Lateral. — ^Those  on  the  sides  or  circumference  of 

shoots,  being  the  axillary  buds  of  the  botanist  (^, 
19). 

2.  Terminal. — ^Those  on  the  points  of  shoots  ((7,  fig.  19). 

3.  Superior. — ^Those  on  the  upper  sides  of  horizontal 

branches  (J.,  fig.  19). 


BUDS. 


17 


L Inferior. — ^Those  on  the  lower  side  of  horizontal 
branches  (J?,  fig.  19). 

5.  Sti]}ular. — ^The  small,  barely  visible  buds  found  at  the 

base  of  ordinary  buds. 

6.  Dormant  or  Latent. — ^These  are  scarcely  apparent  buds, 

generally  towards  the  base  of  branches : Tliey  may 

remain  dormant  for  several  years,  and  then,  in  some 
species,  be  excited  into  growth  by  pruning  close  to 
them. 

Buds  are  again  classed  as  leafhuds  fruit  buds. 

7 I^eaf  Buds  (i^,  (?,  If  fig.  13)  produce  either  leaves  or 
branches;  they  differ  in  form  from  fruit  buds  in 
being  in  most  cases  longer  and  more  pointed  in  the 
same  species. 

These  are  again  designated  as — 

Single.^  when  only  one  is  produced  at  the  same  point 
fig.  13). 

Double.^  when  two  are  together  (7",  fig.  13). 

Triple.^  when  in  threes  (fj  and  </,  fig.  13). 

These  double  and  triple  buds  are  almost  peculiar  to  the 
stone  fruits,  and  especially  the  peach,  apricot,  and 
nectarine. 

The  size,  form,  and  prominence  of  leaf  buds  vary  in  a 
striking  degree  in  different  varieties  of  the  same  species, 
and  these  peculiarities  are  found  to  be  of  considerable 
service  in  identifying  and  describing  sorts.  Thus,  the 
buds  of  one  variety  will  be  long,  pointed  and  com2)ressed, 
or  lying  close  to  the  shoot.  Others  will  be  large,  oval 
and  prominent,  or  standing  boldly  out  from  the  shoot. 
Others  will  be  small,  full,  and  round.  Thus,  for  instance, 
the  wood  buds  of  the  Glout  Morceau  are  short  and  conical, 
broad  at  the  base,  and  taper  suddenly  to  a very  sharp 
point  inclined  towards  the  shoot ; they  have  also  very  pro- 
minent shoulders,  that  is,  their  base  forms  a prominent 
p]*ojection  on  the  shoot.  The  scales  are  also  dark,  with 


18 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


liglit  gray  edges.  In  the  Josephine  de  Malin&  pear  the 
buds  are  quite  remarkable  for  their  roundness,  bluntness 
and  prominence.  If  slioots  of  the  Bartlett  and  Sechel 
pears,  two  well  known  varieties,  be  compared,  although 
they  present  no  decidedly  obvious  peculiarities,  yet  they 
will  be  found  very  different.  Those  of  the  Seckel  are 
much  broader  at  the  base,  more  pointed,  and  lighter 
colored,  being  a dark  drab^  whilst  those  of  the  Bartlett 
are  reddish.  These  miscellaneous  instances  are  chosen 
simply  to  draw  attention  to  these  points,  and  to  show  the 
ordinary  modes  of  comparison.  When  we  speak  of  leaf 
buds,  v/e  have  reference  only  to  the  simple  bud  and  not 
to  the  large,  pointed,  spur-like  productions  frequently  pro- 
duced tow^ards  the  middle  or  lower  part  of  young  shoots 
that  have  made  a second  growth,  that  is  where  growth 
has  ceased  for  a while  and  the  terminal  bud  has  been 
formed,  and  afterwards,  in  the  same  season,  commenced 
anew,  and  made  a second  growth. 

8.  Fruit  Buds. — In  the  early  stages  of  their  formation 
and  growth  all  buds  are  but  leaf  buds.  Thus,  on  a young 
shoot  of  the  cheriy  and  the  plum,  for  example,  of  one  sea- 
son’s growth,  the  buds  are  all  leaf  buds.  The  next  spring 
a part  of  these  produce  new  shoots,  and  others  are 
transformed  into  fruit  buds  that  will  bear  fruit  the  follow- 
ing season.  The  transformation  is  accomplished  during 
the  second  j'Car  of  their  existence,  and  it  usually  happens 
that  they  are  the  smallest  and  least  fully  developed 
that  are  so  transformed  : the  more  vigorous  pushing  into 
branches.  In  the  peach,  the  apricot,  &c.,  on  which  the 
fruit  buds  are  produced  in  one  year,  the  change  fiom  a 
leaf  to  a fruit  bud  occurs  towards  the  latter  part  of  the  sea- 
son. The  primary  cause  of  the  transformation  of  leaf  into 
fruit  buds  is  not  satisfactorily  known,  although  many  theo- 
ries exist  on  the  subject.  Observation,  however,  has  taught 
us  many  things  in  relation  to  it.  It  seems  that  all  trees 


BtJDS. 


19 


must  acquire  a certain  maturity,  either  natural  or  forced, 
in  order  to  produce  blossoms  or  fruit.  A tree  that  is  fur- 
nished with  a rich,  humid  soil,  containing  an  abundance  of 
watery  nutriment,  and  left  in  all  resj)ects  unrestrained  in 
its  upward  growth,  may  attain  the  age  of  ten  or  fifteen 
years  before  it  commences  to  form  fruit  buds ; whilst  in  a 
soil  of  a different  quality,  dry  and  less  favorable  to  rapid 
growth,  or  if  constrained  in  its  growth  by  being  grafted  on 
some  particular  stock,  or  by  some  particular  mode  of  train- 
ing, it  may  produce  fruit  in  two  or  three  years. 

An  apple  tree  on  a common  stock,  planted  out  in  ordi- 
nary orchard  soil,  does  not  usually  bear  until  it  is  in  most 
cases  seven  years  old  from  the  bud,  often  more  ; whilst  the 
same  variety  grafted  or  budded  on  a paradise  apple  stock 
will  produce  in  two  or  three  at  most.  We  frequently  see 
one  branch  of  a tree  that  has  been  accidentally  placed  in 
a more  horizontal  position  than  the  other  parts,  or  that  has 
been  tightly  compressed  with  a bandage  or  something  of 
that  sort,  bear  fruit  abundantly  ; whilst  the  erect,  uncon- 
strained portion  of  the  tree  gives  no  sign  of  fruitfulness 
whatever.  As  a general  thing,  we  find  that  where  there 
is  an  abundant  and  constant  supply  of  sap  or  nutriment 
furnished  to  the  roots  of  trees  and  conveyed  by  them 
through  the  unrestrained  channels  wdiich  the  large  cells 
and  porous  character  of  young  wood  afford,  the  whole 
forces  of  the  tree  will  be  spent  in  the  production  of  new 
shoots  ; but  that  as  trees  grow  old,  the  cells  become  small- 
er, and  the  tree  being  also  more  branched  the  free  course 
of  the  sap  is  obstructed,  and  becomes  in  consequence  bet- 
ter elaborated,  or  in  other  words  more  mature^  and  com 
mences  the  pioduction  of  tHiit.  Circumstances  similar  in 
all  respects  to  these  and  answering  exactly  the  same  pur- 
pose, can  be  produced  by  art  at  an  early  age  of  the  tree ; 
and  this  is  one  of  the  leading  points  in  the  culture  and 
management  of  garden  trees,  where  smallness  of*  size  and 


20 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


early  fruitfulness  are  so  liiglily  desirable.  This  will  come 
under  consideration  in  another  place. 

Fruit  buds  in  most  cases  are  distinguishable  from  wood 
buds  by  their  rounder  and  fuller  form  ; the  scales  that  covei 
them  are  broader  and  less  numerous,  and  in  the  spring  they 
begin  to  swell  and  show  signs  of  opening  at  an  earlier  pe 
riod.  Like  the  wood  buds  they  are  single^  double^  or  trvple^ 
according  to  the  number  found  together.  They  are  single 
in  pears,  apples,  and  other  trees  of  that  class.  Single^ 
double^  and  triple^  variously,  on  the  stone  fruits,  gooseber- 
ries, and  currants. 

Fruit  buds  are  also  simple  and  compound.  Simple^  as 
in  peachy  apricot.^  and  almond.^  each  bud  of  which  pro- 
duces but  one 
flower.  Gomr 
pound.^  as  in  the 
plum.^  cherry.^  ap- 
ple.^ pear.^  &c., 
each  bud  of 
which  produces 
two  or  more  flow- 
ers. Those  of  the 
plum  produce 
two  or  three, 
hence  we  And 
plums  usually 

borne  in  pairs  ; 
those  of  the  cher- 
ry four  or  flve  (flg.  20),  and  of  the  apple  and  j)car  six  to 
eight ; and  hence  we  often  And  these  fruits  borne  in  clus- 
ters. They  are  also  lateral  or  terminal.^  as  they  occupy  the 
sides  or  ends  of  the  branches  or  spurs  on  which  they  are 
prjdu<ed.  The  ordinary  position  of  the  fruit  buds  of  dif- 
ferent classes  of  trees  will  be  understood  from  the  preced- 
ing descriptions  of  fruit  branches. 


I'O.  20. 

Fig.  20,  flower  of  the  cherry,  showing  the  product  of 
a compound  bud. 


LEAVES. 


21 


Section  5. — Leaves. 


1st.  Si/i^ucture  and  Fimctions  of  Learns, — ^The  leaves  of 
all  liardv  fruit  trees  cultivated  in  our  climate  are  decidu- 
ous,  that  is — they  decay  and  fall  in  the  autumn  and  are 
succeeded  by  others  on  the  return  of  spring.  Tlie  olRces 
they  perform  during  the  growing  season  are  of  the  high- 
est importance  to  the  life  and  health  of  the  tree,  and 
deserve  the  most  attentive  consideration. 

A leaf  (fig.  21) 


18 


D 


B 


composed  of  two  prin- 
cipal parts,  the  leaf 
stalh  or  petiole  (A), 
which  connects  it  with 
the  tree  or  branch  on 
which  it  is  borne,  and 
the  expanded  part  (A, 
D\  called  the  hlade. 
The  base  is  the  end  ((7; 
attached  to  the  stalk, 
and  the  apex  or  point 
{D)  the  opposite  one. 
The  length  is  the  dis- 
tance from  the  base  to 
the  point  [ C to  7)),  and 
the  width,^  a line  cut- 
ting the  length  at  right 
angles,  and  extending 
from  margin  to  margin 
(A  to  B\ 

The  leaf  stalk  and 
its  branches,  forming 
the  nerves  or  veins  of 
the  blade,  are  composed  of  woody  vessels  in  the  form  of 


JFVff.  21,  a leaf  of  the  pear  Jl.  the  petiole  or 
teaf  stalk.  *5,  JB,  Z>,  the  blade.  C,  the  base. 
D,  the  point.  Line  the  width. 


22 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


a tube,  similar  to  the  woody  parts  of  the  tree  or  branch 
that  bears  it,  inside  of  which  is  a pith,  similar  to  the  pith 
of  the  tree  ; the  leaf  is  thus  connected  with  the  pith  and 
wood  of  the  shoot,  and  consequently  the  ascending  sap, 
as  we  may  readily  see,  by  making  a vertical  cut  througl) 
the  leaf  stalk  and  shoot.  The  veins  of  the  leaf  are  filled 
up  with  a cellular  substance  similar  to  the  pith,  called 
'parenchyma^  and  the  whole  is  covered  with  a thin  skin 
(epidermis).  This  cellular  substance  is  connected  with 
the  inner  bark,  and  consequently  the  descending  sap  or 
cambium,  that  forms  the  new  layeis  of  wood.  Both  sur 
faces  of  the  leaf  are  furnished  with  small  pores,  through 
which  exhalation  and  absorption  are  carried  o*^'  Absorp- 
tion is  performed  principally  by  the  pores  of  the  under 
surface,  and  they  are  the  largest ; exhalation  principally 
by  those  of  the  upper  surface. 

This  property  of  the  leaves  to  receive  and  give  out  air 
and  moisture  through  the  pores  on  their  surface,  has 
caused  them  to  be  likened  to  the  lungs  of  animals,  and 
this  comparison  is  to  some  extent  correct ; for  we  know 
that  without  leaves,  or  organs  performing  their  offices, 
trees  do  not  grow.  And  in  proportion  to  their  natural 
and  healthy  action,  do  we  find  the  vigor  and  growth  of 
the  tree. 

To  prove  that  leaves  have  the  power,  in  a greater  or 
less  degree,  to  absorb  fluids,  we  have  but  to  apply  water 
to  the  drooping  foliage  of  a plant  suffering  from  drought, 
and  see  how  quickly  it  becomes  refreshed.  Dews  of  a 
single  night,  we  know,  too,  will  revive  plants  that  the  heat 
and  drought  of  the  previous  day  had  prostrated  ; and 
even  if  we  put  a flagging  plant  in  a damp  atmosphere,  it 
recovers.  Even  the  leaves  of  a boquet  can  be  kept  fresh 
for  a long  time  by  sprinkling  them  with  water. 

That  plants  exhale  moisture  and  gases  cannot  be  doubt- 
ed. It  is  this  very  exhaling  process  that  causes  plants 


LEAVES. 


2i 


to  wilt  under  a liot  sun  or  in  a dry  atmosphere.  Plants 
that  are  transplanted  with  their  foliage  on,  as  annuals  are 
in  tlie  spring  or  summer,  will  wilt  and  even  die  if  ex- 
posed to  the  air  and  sun ; but  if  transplanted  in  a moist 
day,  or  covered,  so  that  evaporation  cannot  take  place, 
the  plant  does  not  appear  to  feel  the  removal.  So  with 
cuttings  of  many  plants  thus  propagated  ; if  placed  in 
the  earth  with  a certain  amount  of  foaage  on,  and  left 
uncovered,  they  will  immediately  die  ; but  when  we  j)lace 
a bell  glass  or  a hand  glass  over  them  to  prevent  evapo- 
ration, they  remain  as  fresh  as  though  they  had  roots 
supplying  them  with  moisture  from  the  soil.  It  is  on  this 
account  that  transplanted  trees  so  often  die  "when  the 
branches  and  shoots  are  not  in  proportion  to  the  roots. 
In  transplanting,  a portion  of  the  roots  are  destroyed, 
and  all  are  more  or  less  deranged,  so  that  their  functions 
are  feebly  performed  for  some  time  after  planting.  If  all 
the  branches  and  shoots  are  left  on,  they  will,  as  usual, 
produce  leaves,  but  the  absorption  at  the  roots  being  so 
much  less  than  the  exhalation  of  the  leaves,  the  juices 
contained  in  the  tree,  previously  laid  up,  soon  become  ex- 
hausted, the  leaves  droop  and  wither,  and  the  whole  fabric 
perishes.  In  budding,  too,  if  the  whole  leaf  were  left 
attached,  the  evaporation  would  be  so  great  as  to  kill  the 
bud  ; hence  we  remove  all  but  a portion  of  the  stalk. 

A tree  can  neither  mature  its  wood  nor  its  fruit  without 
the  full  and  healthy  exercise  of  the  leaves.  If  in  the  grow- 
ing season,  a tree  is  deprived  of  its  foliage  by  blight, 
insects,  &c.,  we  see  that  growth  is  entirely  suspended  for 
a time,  until  new  leaves  are  developed : and  if  the  leaves 
be  removed  from  a tree  bearing  fruit,  w^e  see  the  fruit 
shrivel  and  dry  up,  or  ripen  prematm^ely  and  become 
worthless.  These  facts,  and  many  others  that  might  be 
cited,  show  the  intimate  connection  existing  between  the 
leaves  and  the  other  organs  of  trees,  and  the  influence 


24 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


they  have  on  their  growth  and  productiveness.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  the  opening  of  the  leaf  buds  in  spring  induces 
the  formation  of  new  roots  ; this  is  doubtful,  as  new  roots 
may  be  seen  forming  at  times  when  there  are  no  leaves 
on  the  tree  and  apparently  no  growth  whatever  going  on 
in  the  buds.  But  if  the  roots  are  not  roused  into  action 
by  the  leaves,  it  is  well  known  they  will  not  continue  and 
grow  long  if  leaves  do  not  make  their  appearance.  We 
observe  in  the  case  of  trees  the  tops  of  which  have  been  so 
much  injured  by  drying  and  exposime  that  scarcely  a sound 
bud  is  left  to  grow,  in  this  case  the  roots,  although  in 
perfect  order,  remain  nearly  dormant  until  new  shoots  and 
leaves  are  produced,  and  in  proportion  as  the  leaves  in- 
crease so  do  the  roots.  The  fact  of  the  absorption  and 
exhalation  by  leaves  of  certain  flui^^.s,  has,  to  a very  con- 
siderable extent,  established  the  theory  that  the  sap  of  trees 
is  taken  up  from  the  roots  through  the  cells  or  sap  vessels 
of  the  wood  of  the  trunk  and  branches  in  a crude  state^ 
and  passes  into  the  leaves ; that  in  their  tissue  spread  out 
under  the  sun’s  rays,  it  receives  certain  modifications. 
Carbonic  acid,  which  has  been  taken  in  a state  of  solution 
from  the  soil  and  by  the  leaves  from  the  atmosphere,  is 
decomposed,  its  oxygen  is  given  off  into  the  air,  carbon 
becomes  fixed,  and  thus  the  component  parts  of  the  tree, 
starch,  sugar,  gum,  &c.,  are  formed.  After  passing 
through  this  purifying  or  concentrating  process,  the  sap 
acquires  a more  solid  consistence,  and  is  called  camhium  ; 
so  prepared  it  returns  downwards  through  the  nerves  or 
vessels  of  the  leaf  to  the  base  of  the  leaf  stalk,  and  then 
between  the  wood  and  bark  of  the  stem,  forming  new 
xayers  on  its  passage.  Such  is,  at  present,  the  most  popu 
lar  theory  of  the  functions  of  the  leaves  and  the  ascent, 
assimilation,  and  descent  of  the  sap.  Some  distinguished 
writers  on  the  subject  reject  this  theory,  alleging  that — « 
‘‘  there  is  no  such  thing  as  crude  sap,  that  as  soon  as  ii 


LEAVIiS. 


25 


enters  the  roots  it  becomes  assimilated  and  fit  for  the  pro- 
duction of  new  cells,  and  that  it  passes  upwards,  'forming 
new  wood  or  cells  by  a chemical  process.”*  Observation, 
however,  has  clearly  established  that  in  the  leaves  of 
healthy  trees  chemical  processes  depending  on  light  and 
heat,  and  absolutely  essential  to  the  well-being  of  the  tree, 
are  continually  going  on,  for  trees  shut  out  from  the  light 
always  make  a feeble  growth  and  have  a blanched  and 
sickly  hue,  compared  with  the  same  species  in  the  free 
air  and  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  If  one  side  or 
portion  of  a tree  is  shaded  or  deprived  of  its  full  share  of 
light,  it  ceases  to  grow  in  its  natural  way,  and  the  shoots 
are  lean,  slender,  and  imperfect. 

2d.  Different  Forms  and  Characters  of  Leaves, — ^The 
different  sizes  and  forms  of  the  leaves  of  fruit  trees,  the 
divisions  of  their  edges,  the  absence  or  presence  of  glands, 
the  smoothness  or  roughness  of  their  surfaces,  are  all 
more  or  less  serviceable  in  describing  and  identifying 
varieties. 

The  terms  designating  forms  are  seldom  mathema- 
tically correct,  but  merely  made  by  comparison,  for  in- 
jtance — 

Oval  (fig.  22),  when  about  twice  as  long  as  broad,  and 
nearly  of  equal  width  at  both  ends. 

OUong  (fig.  23),  three  times  or  more,  as  long  as  broad,. 

and  differing  but  little  in  width  in  any  part. 

Lance  Shajped  (fig.  24),  lanceolate,  when  three  or  more 
times  as  long  as  broad,  and  tapering  gradually  to  a 
sharp  point. 

Ovate  (fig.  25),  when  twice  as  long  as  broad,  tapering  to 
the  apex,  and  widest  towards  the  base. 

Ohovate  (fig.  26),  the  inverse  of  ovate,  the  greatest  dia* 
meter  being  in  the  upper  part. 

* Schleiden’s  Principles  of  Botany 


2 


26 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


Rounds  roundish^  as  they  approach  a circular  form  like 
fig.  21.  The  point  is  often  a distinguishing  feature, 
some  terminating  suddenly  in  a sharp  point,  others 
drawn  out  to  a long,  sharp  point,  peaTced^  whilst 
others  are  nearly  round.  They  differ  much,  too,  in 
the  form  of  the  base,  some  are  rounded,  some  sharp, 
and  some  heart-shaped. 


Figt.  22  to  26,  forms  of  leaves.  22.  oval.  23,  obloag.  24,  lanceolate.  25,  ovate.  28, 
obovate. 

The  divisions  of  the  edges  are  serrated  or  toothed^  when 
the  edges  are  cut  into  sharp  teeth,  directed  towards  the 
point  of  the  leaf ; finely  (fig.  27)  or  coarsely  (fig.  28)  ser 
rate^  as  these  teeth  are  fine  or  coarse;  dovhly  serrate^ 
when  the  principal  division  or  tooth  is  subdivided. 
Crenate  (fig.  29),  when  the  divisions  are  rounded,  instead 
of  being  sharp  like  teeth. 


LEAVI<:S. 


27 


Ldbed^  when  deeply  cut,  and  the  penetrating  angle 
large,  as  in  the  currant,  gooseberry,  grape,  &c. 
(Fig.  30). 


Fi^  27,  a leaf,  folded,  reflexcd,  and  finely  seirated  or  toothed.  Fig.  28,  coarseiy 
•errated.  Fig.  29,  crenate. 


Flat.^  when  the  sur- 
face is  even- 
(fig.  21). 

Folded.^  when  the 
edges  are  turn- 
ed inward  (fig. 
27). 

Rejlexed^  when  the 
apex  or  point 
turns  back- 
wards, giving 
the  leaf  more 
or  less  the  form 
of  a ring  (27). 

Waved^  wrinhled^ 
smooth.^  roicgh^ 


28 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


etc.,  are  all  terms  used,  but  well  enough  under- 
stood. 

The  leaf  stalk  has  often  striking  peculiarities  in  certain 
varieties,  such  as  unusually  long^  stout^  shorty  or  slender. 
There  are  also  glands  on  the  leaf-stalk,  close  to  the  base, 
and  in  certain  cases  on  the  leaf  itself,  that  are  chiefly  taken 
notice  of  in  identifying  varieties  of  the  peach  and  necta- 
rine ; these  differ  in 
shape  too,  being  globu- 
lar (as  in  flg.  31),  reni- 
form  or  'kidney-shaped 
(flg.  32) ; these  little 
glands  are  supposed  to 
be,  and  no  doubt  are,  or- 
gans of  secretion. 

These  are  all  interest- 
ing items  in  the  study  of 
the  beautiful  and  almost 
endless  variety  of  forms  which  the  different  classes  of 
fruit  trees,  and  even  different  varieties  of  the  same  class, 
exhibit  in  their  foliage. 


Fio.  31. 

Fig.  31,  a leaf  of  the 
peach  ttrith  globular 
glands. 


Fig.  32. 

Fig.  32,  the  same: 
with  reniform  or  kid* 
ney-shaped  glands. 


Section  6. — ^Flowees. 


1st.  Different  Parts  of  Flowers.— are  the 
principal  reproductive  organs  of  trees,  and  consist  of  floral 
envelopes,  tlie  calyx  and  corolla  y and  of  sexual  organs, 
stamens  &ndL  pistils. 

The  Calyx  {A,  fig.  35)  is  the  outer  covering,  and  is 
usually  green  like  the  leaves.  The  corolla  (A,  fig.  33)  is 
within  the  calyx,  and  is  the  colored,  showy  part  of  the 
flower  ; its  divisions  are  called  petals. 

Stamens  (fig.  34)  are  the  male  organs  of  plants.  They 
are  delicate,  thread-like  productions  (A,  fig.  34)  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  flower,  supporting  on  their  extremities  the  anthem 


FLO  WEES. 


29 


Figs.  33  to  35  — Different  parts  of  a flower.  Fig.  33,  ii,  the 
petals.  34,  a stamen,  A,  filament  or  stalk.  B,  anther.  C,  pollen. 
35,  the  calyx,  ovary,  pistil  united.  E,  ovary.  C,  style.  D,  stigma 


( fig.  34).  The  pistil  ((7,  fig.  35)  is  the  female  organ 
and  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  stamens.  It  consists  of 
the  ovary 
at  its  base 
(5,  fig.  35), 
which  con- 
tains the 
seeds.  The 
stijle  (t/,  fig. 

35)  is  the 
erect  por- 
tion, and 
the  stigma 
(A  fig.  35) 
is  the  small 
glandulous 
body  on  its 

summit  that  receives  the  fertilizing  powder  (pollen)  ((7,  fig. 
34)  from  the  anthers. 

Flowers  may  be  deficient  in  any  of  these  organs  except 
the  ovary^  anthers^  and  stigma.  These  are  indispensable 
to  fructification,  and  must  be  present  in  some  form  or  other 
or  the  flowers  will  be  barren. 

2d.  Sexual  Distinctions, — ^The  fact  that  the  two  sexes 
or  sexual  organs,  the  stamens  and  pistils,^  are  in  certain 
species  united  on  the  same  flower,  and  in  others  on  dif- 
ferent flowers,  and  even  on  different  trees,  has  created 
the  necessity  for  the  following  distinctions : 

Trees  or  plants  are  called  hermaphrodite  (as  in  fig.  33) 
vhen  both  stamens  and  pistils  are  present  on  the  same 
flower.  Nearly  all  our  cultivated  fruits  are  tf  this  class. 
Monoecious,^  when  the  male  and  female  flowers  are  borne 
on  the  same  tree,  as  in  the  filbert  flower  (fig.  36,  J.,  the 
male,  and  5,  the  female  flowers).  Dioecious,^  when  the 
male  flowers  (fig.  37)  are  on  one  plant,  and  the  female 


so 


6ENEBAX  PEINCIPLES. 


Fig.  37,  male  or 
staminate  flower  of 
the  strawberry. 


Fig.  36. 

Fig.  36,  flower  of  the  fil- 
bert. 


(fig.  38)  on  another.  The  most  familiar  instance  among 
plants  cultivated  for  their  fruits,  is  the  strawberry.  In 
many  varieties  we 
find  the  stamens  or 
male  organs  so  in- 
completely devel- 
oped (fig.  38)  that 
they  are  of  no  ser- 
vice in  fructifying 
the  fiowers,  and 
hence  we  plant  near 
them  varieties  with  an  abundance 
of  these  organs  strongly  exhibited. 

3d.  Impregnation. — 

The  process  of  im- 
pregnation is  eflTected 
in  this  way : When  the  flowers  first  open, 
the  pollen  granules  or  powder  in  the  anthers, 
is  covered  over  by  a delicate  membrane. 

In  a short  time  this  membrane  bursts  in  a manner  similai 
to  an  explosion  that  scatters  the  pollen  by  its  force,  so 
that  it  reaches  the  stigma  of  the  pistil ; this  is  composed  of 
glutinous  or  sticky  secretions  to  which  the  pollen  adheres ; 
there  it  forms  new  cells  that  expand  into  tubes  ; these 
tubes  penetrate  through  the  style  of  the  pistil  to  the  ovary, 
where  the  impregnation  takes  place,  and  new  cells  are 
immediately  formed  into  an  embryo  plant. 

This  impregnation  is  sometimes,  from  certain  causes, 
only  partially  effected  in  the  cases  of  fruit  where  the  ova- 
ry or  seed  vessel  is  composed  of  several  cells,  as  in  the 
apple,  pear,  &c.,  and  hence  the  fruit  takes  an  imperfect, 
one-sided  development  from  the  beginning. 

The  difficulty  that  appears  to  arise  in  the  way  of  the 
impregnation  of  the  stigma  of  one  flower  by  the  pollen  of 


Fig.  38 

Fig.  38,  female 
or  pistillate  flow 
er. 


FLOWERS. 


31 


another,  distantly  situated,  either  on  the  same  plant  as  in 
monoecious  trees,  or  on  a different  plant  as  in  dioecious,  is 
wonderfully  obviated  by  the  provision  that  nature  has 
made  for  its  transmission,  not  only  by  the  atmosphere, 
but  by  insects,  that  pass  from  one  flower  to  another  feed- 
ing on  their  honied  secretions ; the  pollen  adheres  to  their 
and  they  carry  it  from  one  to  another. 

All  natural  flowers  of  the  same  species  present  the 
same  number  of  petals  in  their  flowers,  but  occasionally 
the  stamens  are  converted  into  petals,  and  thus  what  are 
called  double  flowers  are  produced.  Among  fruit  trees  we 
have  double  flowering  apples,  plums,  peaches,  and  cherries. 
These  seldom  produce  fruit ; when  perfectly  double  never. 
All  our  double  flowers,  roses,  paeonies,  dahlias,  &c.,  have 
been  obtained  by  this  transformation  of  the  stamens  into 
petals.  It  is  supposed  to  be  caused  by  an  excessively 
high  cultivation  given  to  the  plants  that  produce  the 
seeds  from  which  these  double  varieties  spring. 

4.  Period  of  Blossoming. — In  treating  of  fi’uit  buds 
allusion  has  been  made  to  the  causes  which,  according  to 
observation  and  experience,  promote  fruitfulness.  These 
are  chiefly  a slow  or  moderate  growth,  and  a branching 
or  spreading,  constrained  form,  instead  of  an  upright  one. 
Some  species  of  trees  bloom  at  a much  earlier  age  than 
others.  Thus  the  peach,  the  apricot,  and  the  cherry  will 
bloom  in  nearly  one-fourth  less  time  from  the  bud,  all 
things  being  equal,  than  the  pear.  Some  species  bloom 
at  an  earlier  period  of  the  season  than  others ; the  apricot 
and  the  peach  bloom  very  early,  and  this  is  the  chief  rea- 
son why  the  crop  is  so  often  destroyed  in  localities  subject 
to  late  spring  frosts.  Among  fruits  even  of  the  same  spe- 
cies theie  is  much  difference  in  the  period  of  blooming: 
one  variety  of  apple  being  nearly  two  weeks  later  than 
another.  This,  in  some  sections,  is  an  important  quality, 
whore  every  day  the  blossom  is  retarded  renders  the  crop 


32 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


surer,  being  more  likely  to  escape  frost.  These  differences 
are  caused  by  various  circumstances. 

1st.  The  Climate. — ^The  period  of  blossoming  of  the  same 
species  varies  much  in  different  localities.  Kochester  i» 
at  least  a week  earlier  than  Buffalo,  although  the  distance 
is  less  than  one  hundred  miles ; and  it  is  nearly  two 
weeks  earlier  than  Toronto,  which  is  still  nearer.  The 
large  bodies  of  ice  in  the  lakes,  at  both  Buffalo  and  Toron- 
to, have  no  doubt  a considerable  effect  in  retarding  the 
blossoming  period. 

2d.  The  Season  and  Position. — In  the  same  locality, 
one  season  is  frequently  a week  earlier  than  others,  and 
trees  on  the  south  side  of  a wall  or  building  will  expand 
their  blossoms  several  days  before  the  same  variety  in  the 
open  ground  only  a few  rods  distant,  and  ten  days  to  a 
fortnight  before  those  on  a north  wall. 


3f].  The  Soil. — On  warm  and  light  soils,  the  roots  of 
..rees  are  excitea  into  activity  much  sooner  than  in  cola, 
damp,  and  heavy  soils,  and  the  blossoming  period  is  ear- 
lier in  consequence. 

The  Different  Character  of  Flowers. — Flowers  vary  in 
^size.^  form.^  color and  other  qualities,  even  in  the  same  spe- 
cies. In  the  peach  those  distinctions  are  so  obvious,  that 
one  of  the  principal  classifications  of  pomologists  is  found 
^ed  on  them.  Thus  there  are  varieties  with  large.^  showy 

flowers  (fig.  39),  as  the  serrate 
early  Tork.^  and  small  (fig.  40) 
as  large  early  Yor\  Craw- 
ford Early.,  etc.  The  color 
also  presents  variations,  some 
being  dee^o^  others  pale  rose, 
and  some  almost  white  / two 
or  three  varieties  of  the 
peach  have  flowers  wholly 
irhite,  as  the  mow.^  for  instance.  In  a^^  the  other  fruits, 


Fig.  39. 


Fig.  40. 


fHg.  39,  large  flower  of  the  peach. 
Pig.  40,  small  flower  of  the  peach. 


FLOWERS. 


33 


as  in  apples^  pears^  plums^  cherries^  &c.,  the  flowers  vary 
but  slightly  in  form  and  color,  and  the  differences  are  only 
taken  note  of  in  very  full  and  minute  scientific  descrip- 
tions. A few  cases,  however,  are  well  marked,  as  the 
Jargonelle  pear,  the  flowers  of  which  are  nearly  twice  as 
large  as  most  others. 

In  connection  with  the  flowers  it  may  be  proper  to  ex 
plain  the  important  process  of 

Hybridization. — ^This  is  performed  by  fertilizing  tn 
pistil  of  one  species  or  variety  with  pollen  from  the 
stamens  of  another.  The  seeds  produced  by  the  flower  sc 
impregnated  will  produce  a cross  or  hybrid  between  the 
two  parents.  This  process  is  now  well  understood,  and  is 
carried  on  to  a wonderful  extent,  especially  in  the  pro- 
duction of  new  flowers.  Comparatively  few  of  our  popu- 
lar fruits  have  been  produced  in  this  way.  A few  good 
sorts  have  been  produced  by  the  late  Mr.  Knight,  a dis- 
tinguished English  experimentalist,  who  effected  much  in 
his  time  to^vards  establishing  many  difficult  and  disputed 
points  in  vegetable  physiology.  Nearly  all  the  native 
fruits  of  this  country  are  accidental  hybrids.  A vast  deal 
may  be  done  tc  improve,  in  this  way,  all  our  fruits. 
The  size,  hardiness,  and  productiveness  of  one  variety 
may  be  combined  with  the  delicacy  of  texture  and  flavor 
of  another,  and  endless  variations  and  improvements  may 
be  effected.  To  obtain  a true  hybrid  certain  precautions 
are  necessary.  The  two  subjects  selected  must  flower  at 
the  same  time.  The  stamens  must  be  carefully  removed 
from  the  one  intended  for  the  mother,  without  injury  to 
the  stigma.  It  must  also  be  guarded  from  accidental  im 
pregnation  by  other  varieties,  and  the  pollen  from  the 
selected  male  be  applied  at  the  proper  moment,  that  is, 
when  it  bursts  from  the  anther.  Hybridization  is  only 
possible  between  species  closely  related,  for  although  there 
is  a relation  between  the  apple  and  the^^a^*,  and  between 


34 


Gli  ^ERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


the  goosel)e7Ty  and  the  currant^  they  will  not  hybridize ; 
but  different  varieties  of  the  apple  will  hybridize  with 
each  other,  and  so  with  all  the  rest. 

Blossoming  in  Alternate  Years, — Many  varieties  of 
apple,  pears,  &c.,  fruits  that  take  the  whole  season  to 
mature,  produce  flowers  in  alternate  years  only,  with 
great  regularity.  The  reason  is  supposed  to  be  this: 
The  fruit  during  the  bearing  year,  attracts  a large  quantity 
of  the  ascending  sap  of  the  tree  in  the  same  way  as  the 
leaves  do;  but  instead  of  returning  it  to  the  tree,  they 
consume  it  themselves.  The  consequence  is,  the  buds 
that  would  have  blossomed  the  following  year  if  they  had 
received  their  due  share  of  nutriment,  fail  in  attaining 
the  proper  condition,  and  produce  only  rosettes  of  leaves. 
During  the  unfruitful  season,  immense  quantities  of  fruit- 
buds  are  again  brought  forward,  and  the  year  following, 
the  tree  is  overloaded;  so  it  proceeds  in  regular  succes- 
sion. 

This  is  never  experienced  in  trees  regularly  pruned,  and 
may  be  remedied  by  thinning  out  the  crop  in  bearing 
years,  leaving  on  but  a reasonable  amount  that  will  not 
exhaust  the  tree.  The  bearing  years  have  been  completely 
reversed  by  removing  the  blossom-buds  or  fruits  on  the 
bearing  year. 

Section  7. — ^The  Frijit. 

1st.  Oharacter  of  the  Fruit. — As  soon  as  the  ovary  is 
impregnated  it  begins  to  swell ; the  petals,  stamens,  and 
other  parts  of  the  flower  fall  off,  and  we  then  say  the  fruit 
is  “ setP  As  a fruit  bud  is  but  a transformed  leaf-bud,  a 
fruit  occupies  the  same  relative  connection  with  the  tree 
as  a branch;  it  attracts  food  from  the  stem  and  the 
atmosphere  in  the  same  manner,  and  performs  all  the 
aame  functions,  except  that  it  does  not,  like  the  leaf. 


THE  FRUIT. 


35 


return  any  tiling  to  the  tree,  but  appropriates  all  to  its  own 
use ; and  this  is  the  reason,  as  we  have  before  remarked, 
that  trees  having  borne  a heavy  crop  of  fruit  one  season 
are  unfruitful  the  next — this  is  the  case  only  with  fruits, 
as  the  apple  and  pear,  that  require  nearly  the  whole  sea- 
son to  mature  them.  Cherries,  and  other  fruits  that 
mature  in  a shorter  period,  and  that  draw  more  lightly  on 
the  juices  of  the  tree,  do  not  produce  this  exhaustion,  and 
consequently  bear  year  after  year  uninterruptedly. 

2d.  Classification. — In  some  fruits,  as  the  apple  for  in- 
stance, the  fruit  is  formed  helow  or  at  the  base  of  the 
calyx,  the  segments  of  which  are  still  visible  in  the 
mature  fruit ; and  often  serves  to  some  extent  by  its  size 
and  other  peculiarities,  as  being  spread  out,  or  closed  to- 
gether in  a point,  to  identify  varieties.  In  other  species, 
as  the  plum  and  cherry,  the  fruit  is  formed  within  the 
calyx,  or  on  the  top  of  it.  Fruits  of  the  former  character 
forming  below  the  calyx  and  including  it  in  their  struc- 
ture are  classed  as  inferior — the  ajpple.^  jpear.^  qumce.^ 
gooseberry.^  and  currant  are  all  inferior,  having  the  calyx 
adhering. 

Those  formed  within  the  calyx,  having  the  pistil  alone 
connected  with  the  ovary,  are  called  superior  * such  are  the 
feach.^  plum.^  apricot.^  nectarine.^  cherry.^  raspberry.^  stra/w- 
herry.,  and  g^'^ape. 

The  more  natural,  popular,  and  useful  classification  of 
fruits,  is  that  by  which  they  are  divided  into 
Pcmes  or  Kernel  Fruits.^  as  the  apple.^  pear.^  quince.^  med- 
lar., etc.  In  speaking  of  these  we  call  the  pericaiq) 
the  fiesh.^  and  the  dry,  bony  seed  capsules  the  core. 
Drupes  or  Stone  Fruits. — Those  having  a soft,  pulpy 
pericarp,  and  the  seed  enclosed  in  a shell  like  a nut, 
as  the  peac\  plum.^  apricot.^  cherry.^  etc.  The  peri- 
carp of  these  is  called  the  fiesh.^  and  the  seed,  the  pit 
or  stone 


36 


GENERAL  PRESTCIPLES. 


Berries, — These  have  soft,  pulpy  flesh,  containing  seeds 
vuthout  capsules,  as  the  gooseberry,^  currant,,  rasjpberry^ 
strawberry,,  and  grape, 

Nuts,,  or  capsule  fruit,  as  the  filbert,,  chestnut,,  etc.,  the 
fruits  of  which  are  nuts  contained  in  husks  or  cups, 
that  when  ripe,  open  and  let  the  fruit  drop. 

The  outlines  or  forms  of  fruits  and  their  colors  exhibit 
great  variations,  even  in  the  same  species.  Every  portion 
of  the  fruit,  the  shin,,  fiesh  ((7,  fig.  41),  core  (2>,  fig.  41), 


C,  the  flesh.  D,  the  core.  E,  the  seed.  Aj  stem.  ]30  foreign  tO  the  pur- 


notice  these  points  in  detail ; all  that  is  deemed  necessary, 
useful,  or  appropriate,  is  to  point  out  well-defined  and 
practical  distinctions,  and  the  ternis  ordinarily  made  use 
vof  in  popular  descriptions. 

3d.  Different  Parts  of  the  Fruit : 

The  Base  (^)  is  the  end  in  which  the  stem  is  inserted. 
The  Eye  {B)  is  the  opposite  end,  in  tie  apple,  pear,  etc., 
that  have  an  adhering  calyx. 

The  Nech,  in  pears,  the  contracted  part  near  the  stalk,  as 
seen  in  fig.  49. 

The  Point  is  the  end  opposite  the  stem  in  stone  fruits ; 


Fig,  41,  vertical  section  of  an  apple,  sliowing 
,ts  diflerent  parts.  the  base.  R,  the  eye. 


Fig.  41. 


seeds  {F)  or  stones^ 
stews  (^),  and  in  ker- 
nel fruits  the  ccfJyx 
(5),  have  all,  in  some 
cases,  marked  peculi- 
arities, and  in  other? 
more  minute  and 
scarcely  perceptible ; 
but  yet  in  a strictly 
scientific  study  of  po- 
mology, of  more  or 
less  service.  It  would 


B,  calyx. 


poses  of  this  work  to 


THE  FRUIT. 


37 


berries,  etc.,  that  have  no  calyx,  and  consequently  no 
eye. 

The  Length  is  the  distance  from  stem  to  point  or  eye, 
A to  fig.  41. 

The  Widths  the  line  D j5^cntting  the  fruit  across,  or  at 
right  angles  with  the  length. 

The  Basin,^  the  depression  around  the  eye  or  calyx  in 
kernel  fruit,  J?,  fig.  41. 

The  Cavity^  the  depression  around  the  stem. 

The  Suture,^  in  stone  fruits  the  furrow-like  depression  run 
ning  from  the  base  to  the  point. 

4th.  Different  Properties  of  Fruits  : 

Besides  the  principal  divisions  which  have  been  alluded 
to,  fruits  are  considered  in  regard  to  their  size,^  color 
form^  texture^  flavor^  and  season  of  ripening, 

1st.  The  Size, — Besides  the  natural  difference  in  size 
that  exists  among  different  varieties  of  the  same  species, 
as,  for  instance,  between  the  Bartlett  and  SecJcel  Pears,  or 
the  Fall  Pippin  and  Lady  Apples,,  there  are  great  dif- 
ferences between  the  same  varieties  owing  chiefly  to  the 
following  circumstances : Soil — ^We  find  that  in  new 

and  fresh  soils,  the  nutritive  properties  of  which  have  not 
been  impaired  by  cultivation,  as  in  the  virgin  soils  of  the 
West,  fruit  of  the  same  variety  attains  nearly  double  the 
size  that  it  does  in  older  parts  of  the  country,  where  the 
soil  has  long  beei\under  cultivation ; and  that  in  the  same 
orchard,  the  tree  growing  in  a deep,  alluvial  soil,  will  give 
fruit  much  larger  than  the  one  on  a hard  gravelly  knoll. 
Culture — This  has  an  important  influence  on  the  size  of 
fruits.  If  an  orchard  has  been  for  several  years  neglected, 
and  the  ground  about  the  trees  become  covered  wnth  grass 
ana  weeds,  the  fruit  is  small ; and  if  the  same  orchard  be 
ploughed  up,  some  manm*e  turned  in  around  the  roots, 
and  the  ground  be  kept  loose  and  clean  by  tillage,  the 
fruit  will  double  in  size  in  a single  season.  Seasons — ^Id 


38 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


a dry  season,  when  the  supply  of  moisture  at  the  roots 
and  in  the  atmosphere  is  very  limited,  fruits  are  invari- 
ably smaller  than  in  seasons  of  an  opposite  character. 
Number  of  fruits  on  the  tree — ^This  affects  the  size  of  the 
fruit  to  a great  extent  in  all  seasons,  soils,  and  climates, 
and  under  all  grades  of  culture. 

It  is  perfectly  obvious,  that  the  greater  the  number  of 
fruits  a tree  bears,  the  smaller  they  will  be,  for  as  they 
derive  their  sustenance  from  the  tree,  a large  number 
cannot  be  so  w^ell  supplied  as  a smaller  number.  We 
cannot  go  into  an  orchard  where  there  are  many  varieties 
without  seeing  an  illustration  of  this.  Here  is  a prolific 
variety  loaded  in  every  part ; the  fruits  are  small,  cer- 
tainly not  over  medium  size.  There  is  a moderate  bearer ; 
its  fruits  are  thinly  and  evenly  distributed  over  the  tree  ; 
its  fruits  are  consequently  large.  So  in  the  case  of  fruits 
that  have  been  thinned  ; that  is,  a certain  portion  removed 
while  young,  either  by  accidental  circumstances  or  by 
design,  every  specimen  is  twice  as  large,  as  if  the  whole 
crop  had  been  allowed  to  mature.  The  English  goose- 
berry growers.^  in  preparing  their  prize  specimens,  leave 
but  a few  on  each  bush — not  over  a twentieth,  or  perhaps 
a fiftieth  part  of  the  entire  crop.  So  in  peaches,  grapes, 
etc.,  grown  carefully  in  houses.  Where  the  size  and 
beauty  of  the  fruit,  and  the  health  and  vigor  of  the  trees 
are  kept  in  view,  a large  portion  of  the  crops,  from  one 
half  to  two  thirds,  is  thinned  out  before  maturity.  Age 
of  the  trees — ^This  influences  the  size  of  fruits  to  a great 
extent;  we  see  fruit  so  large  on  young  trees  as  to  be 
entirely  out  of  character : As  trees  grow  older,  the  vigoi 
decreases,  and  the  number  of  fruits  increase,  and  they  are 
consequently  diminished  in  size.  The  hind  of  stock  has  a 
tendency  to  modify  the  size ; thus  we  find  many  pears 
much  larger  on  the  Quince  stock  than  on  the  pear,  and 
many  apples  largei  on  the  Paradise  than  on  the  common 


THE  FRUIT. 


39 


apple  stock.  The  reason  of  this  is,  no  donbt,  that  on  the 
quince  and  paradise  the  juices  of  the  tree  are  better  pre- 
pared, richer,  and  better  suited  to  the  growth  of  the  fruit. 
In  the  common  pear  and  apple  stocks  the  sap  is  taken  up 
in  greater  quantities,  is  watery^  and  better  adapted  to  form 
wood  than  fruit. 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  SIZE. 

The  terms  qualifying  the  sizes  of  fruits  are  always  given 
comparatively,  in  regard  to  the  tw^o  extremes,  the  largest 
and  the  smallest  of  the  species ; for  instance — in  apples, 
we  may  consider  the  Gloria  Mundi  and  Twenty  Ounce 
as  extremely  large^  and  the  Lady  apple  as  extremely  small. 
The  terms  used,  therefore,  are  such  as  to  represent  the 
various  grades  betv/een  the  two  extremes.  These  are 
Very  large^  as  the  Gloria  Mundi  Apple,  DucTiesse  d'^Am 
goidhne  Pear,  GrawforTs  EoMy  Peach,  Yellow  Egg 
Plum,  and  Napoleon  Bigarreau  Cherry. 

Large^  as  the  Bcddwm  Apple,  Bartlett  Pear,  Red  Cheek 
Melocoton  Peach,  Washington  Plum,  and  Black  Eagle 
Cheriy. 

Medium^  as  the  Rmviho  Apple,  White  Doyenne  Pear, 
Imperial  Gage  Plum,  and  the  American  Amber 
Cherry. 

■^mall^  as  the  Early  Strawberry  Apple,  Dearhorrds  Seed- 
ling Pear,  Green  Gage  Plum,  and  Baumanns  May 
Cherry. 

Very  Small^  as  the  Amire  Johannet  Pear,  Lady  Apple^ 
Winter  Damson  Plum,  and  the  Indulle{Early  May) 
Cherry. 

The  distance  between  some  of  these  grades,  as  be- 
tween medium  and  large,  &c.,  is  so  short  that  they  are 
frequently  confounded ; still  they  give  a notion  of  com- 
parative size  that  answers  all  practical  purposes.  It 


40 


GEISTEEAL  PEINCIPLES. 


would,  perhaps,  have  been  more  accurate,  an  1,  at  the 
same  time,  more  satisfactory  to  persons  entirely  un- 
acquainted with  fruits  to  have  given  the  comparative 
measurement  of  these  different  grades  in  inches  and  parts ; 
but  the  varieties  quoted  as  examples  are  common,  and 
very  generally  known. 

2d.  Form, — It  is  exceedingly  difficult,  even  impossible, 
to  find  any  single  term  that  will  give  a mathematically 
accurate  notion  of  the  forms  of  fmits ; for  although  we 
call  an  apple  round  or  conical,  it  may  not  be,  strictly 
speaking,  either ; perhaps  partakes  to  some  extent  of 
both  forms.  But  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  desig- 
nate it  conical  round : we  simply  call  it  round,^  or  roundis\ 
if  nearer  round  than  any  other  form  ; and  if  it  inclines 
slightly  to  the  conical,  we  cannot  so  well  convey  the 
knowledge  of  that  fact  any  other  way  as  by  simply  say- 
ing so. 

In  the  apple  the  round  form  prevails,  and  in  the  pear 
the  pyramidal ; hence,  it  is  necessary  to  apply  a difierent 
class  of  descriptive  terms  to  each. 

FOEMS  OF  APPLES. 

Found  or  Fowfidish  (fig.  42). — ^^When  the  outline  is 
round,  or  nearly  so,  the  length  being  about  equal 
to  the  breadth. 

Flat  (fig.  45). — ^When  the  ends  are  compressed,  and  the 
width  considerably  greater  than  the  length. 

Conical  (fig.  43). — In  the  form  of  a cone,  tapering  from 
the  base  to  the  eye. 

Ovate,^  or  egg-sJiaped  (fig.  44). 

Oblong  (fig.  46). — When  the  length  is  considerably  greatei 
than  the  width,  and  the  width  about  equal  at  bott 
ends,  not  tapering  as  in  the  conical. 


THE  FRUIT. 


In  addition  to  these  forms  and  their  various  modifi- 
cations, some  varieties  are 


f\g$  4*i  to  47,  forms  of  apples.  42,  round.  43,  conical.  44,  ovate.  45,  flat 
oblong.  47,  ribbed. 

Angular^  having  projecting  angles  on  the  sides. 

One-sided^  having  one  side  larger  than  the  other. 

Bibhed  (4T),  when  the  surface  presents  a series  of  ridges 
and  furrows  running  from  eye  to  stem. 

FORMS  OF  PEARS. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  the  pyramidal  form  prevails 
in  pears ; but  they  taper  from  the  eye  to  the  stem,  which 
is  just  the  reverse  of  the  tapering  form  in  apples.  Their 
forms  are  designated  thus — 

Pyriform, — When  tapering  from  the  eye  to  the  base,  and 
the  sides  more  or  less  hollowed  (concave)  (fig.  48). 
Long  Pyriform. — When  long  and  narrow,  and  tapering  to 
a point  at  the  stem  (fig.  49) 

Obtuse  Pyriform. — ^When  the  small  end  is  somewhat  flat- 
tened (fig.  50). 

01)cn)ate  or  egg-shwped. — Nearly  in  fonn  of  to  egg,  the 
small  end  being  nearest  the  stem  (fig.  M). 


i2 


GENERAL  PEINCIPLES. 


TurMnate  or  top-sTia^ed. — ^The  Bides  somewliat  rounded 
and  tapering  to  a point  at  the  stem  (fig.  52). 


Figs.  48  to  64,  forms  of  pears  48,  pyriform.  49,  long  pyriform.  60,  oWiM 
pyriform.  61,  obovate.  62,  turbinate.  53,  oval.  64,  round. 

Oval, — Largest  in  the  middle,  tapering  more  or  less  to 
each  end  (fig.  53). 

Round, — ^When  the  outline  is  nearly  round  (fig.  54). 

FORMS  OF  PEACHES. 

TLiere  is  too  much  uniformity  in  the  forms  of  peaches 
to  render  the  adoption  of  any  set  of  terms  descriptive  of 
them  very  serviceable.  They  are  mostly  round,  occasion- 
ally approaching  to  oblong  and  oval;  two  sides  are  fre- 
quently compressed,  fiattened,  exhibiting  a suture  or  fur- 
row running  from  the  point  to  the  base : the  width, 
depth,  &c.,  of  this  suture  are,  in  many  cases,  peculiar,  or 
at  least  worthy  of  note. 

FORMS  OF  PLUMS. 

Plums  are  rounds  oval^  or  oblong,^  as  the  peach, 
and  marked,  in  some  cases,  by  a similar  flattening  of  the 
sides,  and  by  the  suture. 


THE  FRUIT. 


43 


FORMS  OF  CHERRIES. 

C^ierriee  are  round  or  heart-shaped  ^ obtuse  heart-shaped^ 
«ehen  too  round  to  be  fully  heart-shaped ; and  pointed^ 
when  the  point  is  more  than  ordinarily  sharp  or  peaked. 
The  suture  is  also  taken  note  of  as  in  plums  and  peaches. 

Gooseberries  and  Grapes  are  always  round  or  oval.  Ov/r- 
rants  always  round.  Strawberries  round,  conical,  or  oval, 
sometimes  with  a neck  ; that  is,  the  base  is  drawn  out  at 
the  stem  in  the  form  of  a narrow  neck.  Raspberries  are 
conical,  roundish,  or  long. 

3d.  Color, — ^The  color  of  fruits  depends  much  on  their 
exposure  to  the  sun’s  rays.  We  find  that  in  orchard  trees, 
where  the  heads  are  dense,  and  a large  portion  of  the 
fruit  shaded  and  shut  out  from  the  sun,  there  is  a great 
difference  in  the  color  ; indeed,  so  great,  frequently,  as  to 
make  their  identity  from  appearance  quite  doubtful. 
Varieties  that  are  naturally' — ^w^hen  properly  exposed  to 
the  sun — of  a bright  red  or  a glowing  crimson,  remain 
green  in  the  shade.  The  climate,  too,  seems  to  have  con- 
siderable effect  on  the  color.  As  a general  thing,  we 
observe  that  northern  apples  are  clearer  and  brighter 
colored  than  those  of  the  south. 

Dry  soils  and  elevated  situations  produce  more  highly- 
colored  fruit  than  damp  and  low  valleys.  The  terms 
used  ill  describing  colors,  are  all  simple  and  well  under- 
stood. 

4th.  Flavor,^  in  table  fruits,  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant of  qualities  ; for  however  large  or  fair  a fruit  may 
be,  if  insipid  or  astringent  to  an  unpleasant  degree,  or  if 
it  possesses  some  other  disagreeable  quality,  it  is  unfit  for 
the  table.  There  are  various  kinds  of  fiavor  even  among 
v^arietios  of  the  same  species : in  pears,  particularly,  it  is 
almost  endless,  the  shades  and  degrees  of  sweet  and  acidy 


44 


GEISTERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


and  tlie  various  perfumes  that  mingle  with  these,  are 
almost  infinite. 

The  same  circumstances  mentioned  as  favorable  to  high 
and  brilliant  coloring,  are  also  favorable  to  the  production 
of  fine  fiavor.  Lights  heat^  a dry  soil^  and  modefraU 
growth^  seem  to  be  all  essential  to  fine  fiavor.  On  trees 
somewhat  advanced  in  age,  fruits  are  apt  to  be  higher 
flavored  than  on  young  trees  that  have  just  commenced 
bearing,  and  in  a dry  than  a wet  season.  The  philosophy 
of  all  this  is,  that  in  a damp  soil  or  season,  or  in  a shaded 
situation,  when  trees  are  young  and  growing  rapidly,  the 
fruit  receives  more  sap  from  the  tree  than  can  be  pro- 
perly elaborated  by  the  action  of  the  sun  and  atmosphere 
on  its  surface,  and,  consequently,  the  sugary  principle  is 
produced  in  small  quantities — the  juice  is  watery,  sour, 
or  insipid,  as  the  case  may  be. 

The  various  terms  by  which  flavor  is  designated,  such 
as  sweety  acid^  sub-acid^  sprightly^  ^erfumed^  mushy^ 
sjpicy^  &c.,  are  all  well  understood. 

. Section  8. — ^The  Seed. 

The  perfect  seed  contains  the  rudiments  of  a plant  of 
the  same  nature  as  that  which  produced  it.  This  rudi- 
ment of  the  new  plant  is  called  the  embryo.  It  con- 
sists of  three  parts — the  cotyledons  {c  <?,  fig.  55),  which  are 
the  rudiments  of  the  first  pair  of  leaves ; these  are  the 
parts  that  first  make  their  appearance.  The  bases  of 
these  cotyledons  are  united,  and  send  down  the  radicle 
(&),  or  root,^  and  between  them  is  a bud  {a),^  which  sends 
up  the  stem,  and  is  usually  called  jplumule.  As  soon 
as  the  seed  is  excited  into  germination  by  the  heat  and 
moisture  of  the  earth,  this  radicle  or  root  begins  to  pene- 
trate the  soil,  and  the  plumule  ascends  in  an  opposite  di- 
rection ; and  thus  the  growth  of  the  tree  goes  forward 


THE  SEED. 


45 


tH  the  manner  already  described  under  the  heading, 
Root,  Siem,  &c. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  seed  con- 
tains the  rudiment  of  a plant  similar  to 
that  on  which  it  is  produced  ; but  this 
needs  some  explanation.  In  distinct 
species^  this  will  be  true  ; but  the  seeds 
of  varieties  that  have  been  produced 
by  culture  and  hybridizing,  seldom  or 
never  reproduce  exactly  their  like, 
hence  the  necemfj  for  the  various 
artificial  methods  of  multiplication, 
such  as  grafting,  h bidding,  layering, 

&c.  It  is  to  these  O'perations  that  we 
are  indebted  for  the  preservation  of 
varieties  that  were  originated  hun- 
dreds of  years  ago. 

Germination. — Heat  and  moisture, 
air,  and  the  exclusion  of  light,  are  all 
necessary  to  the  healthy  and  perfect 
germination  of  seeds.  It  may  be  well  to  consider,  briefly, 
the  part  which  each  of  these  has  to  perform. 

1st.  Moisture. — When  seeds  are  sowm  in  a time  when 
the  ground  is  parched,  they  will  show  no  signs  of  germi- 
nation until  it  is,  in  some  way  or  other,  moistened.  The 
quantity  of  moisture  necessary  to  a seed  depends  on  the 
natm’e  of  its  covering  and  its  size.  A small  seed,  with  a 
thin  covering,  will  vegetate  much  sooner  and  with  less 
moisture  than  a large  seed,  with  a hard,  bony  covering. 
The  moisture  must,  in  the  first  place,  soften  the  covering, 
penetrate  to  the  mealy  part  of  the  seed,  and  prepare  it 
for  the  chemical  changes  necessary  to  convert  it  into  food 
for  the  embryo  plant.  If  apple  or  pear  seeds  be  kept  in 
a dry,  warm  room  all  wdnter,  they  will  not  be  likely  to 
vegetate  the  following  spring,  but  if  sown  will  probably 


55,  germinating 
seed,  a,  plumule.  6, 
radicle,  c c,  cotyledoni. 


46 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


lie  in  the  ground  all  summer,  and  possibly  germinate  the 
spring  following.  If  cherry  seeds  are  kept  dry  fur  anj 
length  of  time,  say  two  or  three  months,  they  will  not 
germinate  the  season  following ; and  peaches  and  plums 
have  actually  to  be  in  the  ground  all  winter,  under  the 
action  of  frost,  to  insure  their  germination  the  spring  fol- 
lowing. Seeds  will  germinate  much  quicker  when  freshly 
gathered  than  after  they  have  dried,  because  heat,  mois- 
ture, and  air  have  easier  access  to  them,  and  act  more 
quickly  on  them.  These  facts,  of  which  all  are  well 
aware,  show  the  necessity  for  moisture  and  the  nature  of 
its  influence. 

2d.  Heat  is  the  next  most  important  element.  Seeds  do 
not  grow  in  winter.  We  sow  our  apple,  pear,  peach,  and 
plum  seeds  in  November  ; but  they  show  no  signs  of  ger- 
mination until  a change  of  season.  When  the  warmth  of 
spring  penetrates  the  soil,  it  reaches  the  seed,  and,  in  con- 
nection wdth  the  moisture  already  imbibed,  induces  what 
we  usually  call  fermentation.  This  chemical  process  ex- 
cites the  vital  energies  of  the  germ,  decomposes  the 
mealy  part  of  the  seed,  and  prepares  it  for  the  temporary 
nutrition  of  the  yomig  plant. 

3d.  Aw. — Although  seeds  may  have  heat  and  moisture 
m the  requisite  proportions,  still  it  has  been  proved  by 
many  experiments,  that  without  cdr^  germination  cannot 
take  place. 

Practical  cultivators  are  aware  that  seeds  planted  too 
deeply  do  not  grow ; many  kinds  will  lie  buried  in  the 
ground  for  years  without  growing,  and  when  turned  up 
near  the  surface  will  germinate  immediately.  It  is  the 
oxygen  of  the  air  that  constitutes  its  importance  ; it  pro- 
duces, by  forming  new  combinations  with  the  gases  con- 
tained in  the  seed,  that  chemical  process  which  converts 
the  starch  into  sugar  and  gum,  as  we  observe  in  ordinary 
cases  of  fermentation. 


THE  SEED. 


47 


4th.  Exclusion  of  Light,— manner  in  which  self- 
iown  seeds  in  the  forest  are  covered  with  fallen  and 
decaying  foliage,  plainly  indicates  that  nature  never 
intended  the  light  to  strike  germinating  seeds.  A seed 
entirely  exposed  would  be  at  one  time  saturated  with 
moistm^e,  and  at  another  parched  with  drought ; chemical 
changes  would  be  alternately  promoted  and  checked, 
until  the  vital  principle  would  be  destroyed,  or  so  weaken- 
ed as  to  produce  a feeble  and  worthless  plant.  The  depth 
of  the  covering  should  always  be  regulated  by  the  size  of 
the  seeds.  Small  and  delicate  seeds  may  be  sown  almost 
on  the  surface,  whilst  large  ones  may  be  imbedded  to  the 
depth  of  four  or  five  inches.  The  small  seed  requires 
little  moisture,  and  has  but  a feeble  force  to  penetrate  an 
earthy  covering ; but  the  large  requires  much  moisture, 
and  has  force  enough  to  push  its  way  up. 


r 


CHAPTEE  II. 


SOILS. 

Section  1. — ^Different  Kinds  of  Soil. 

Soils  are  usually  designated  by  terms  expressive  of  the 
predominant  material  in  their  composition,  thus  we  hear 
of  sandy ^ loamy ^ gravelly^  clayey^  calcareous  or  chalhy^ 
and  alluvial  soils. 

A sandy  soil  is  that  in  which  sand  is  the  principal  in- 
gredient. Such  soil  is  usually  quite  defective.  It  is  so 
porous  that  it  parts  almost  instantaneously  with  moisture, 
and  plants  in  it  suffer  from  drought.  All  the  soluble 
parts  of  manures  are  also  quickly  washed  out  of  it,  and 
hence  it  requires  continual  additions  to  produce  even  a 
scanty  growth.  The  great  point  in  improving  it,  is  to 
render  it  more  retentive  by  the  addition  of  clay,  ashes, 
&c.  t 

A clayey  soil  is  that  in  which  clay  predominates.  It 
may  be  considered  the  opposite  of  sandy,  inasmuch  as  its 
defects  are,  that  it  retains  moisture  too  long,  is  too  adhe- 
sive, in  dry  weather  it  becomes  as  hard  as  a burnt  brick, 
impervious  to  dews  or  light  showers,  and  when  thoroughly 
saturated  with  wet  it  is  tough,  and  requires  a long  time 
to  dry.  No  fruit  tree  succeeds  well  in  such  a soil ; but  it 
is  capable  of  being  improved  and  fitted  for  many  species, 
and  especially  the  plum  and  the  pear.  The  obvious  way  to 
improve  it  is,  by  incorporating  with  it  lighter  porous  soils, 
as  sand,  muck,  or  leaf  mould. 


SOILS. 


40 


A gravdly  -^oil  is  one  made  np  in  greater  part  of  small 
I ones,  pebbles,  decomposed  rock,  &c. ; such  soils,  as  a 
general  thing,  are  unfit  for  fruit  trees,  unless  great  labor 
is  incurred  in  trenching,  deepening,  and  mixing  with 
clay,  muck,  &c.,  of  opposite  characters. 

A loamy  soil  is  one  we  hear  a great  deal  about,  and  may 
be  understood  in  various  ways.  It  may  be  considered  a 
mixture  of  equal  parts  of  sandy,  clayey,  and  vegetable  soil.. 
It  is  neither  so  light  as  the  sandy,  on  the  one  hand,  nor’ 
so  tenacious  as  clay  on  the  other  ; and,  as  a general  things 
contains  such  elements,  and  is  of  such  a texture,  as  to  ren- 
der it  eligible  for  all  ordinary  purposes  of  cultivation^ 
and  especially  so  for  fruit  trees.  Loamy  soils  are  spoken 
of  as  sandy  loams^  when  sand  forms  a large  ingredient, 
say  one  half  of  their  composition  ; gravelly ^ when  pretty 
largely  mixed  with  small  stones  ; calcareous^  when  lime 
is  found  in  them. 

Calcareous  or  chalky  soils  have  a large  amount  of  lime 
mixed  with  the  other  ingredients  of  which  they  are  com- 
posed. All  the  lands  in  limestone  districts  are  of  this 
character,  and,  as  a general  thing,,  are  well  adapted  to 
fruit  culture. 

Peaty  soil  consists  chiefly  of  vegetable  mould  from  de- 
cayed marsh  plants,  in  low,  wet  places.  It  is  unfit,  in 
itself,  for  fruit  trees,  but  is  valuable  for  improving  both 
light  and  heavy  soils. 

Allvwial  soils  are  composed  of  decomposed  vegeta- 
ble substances,  the  sediment  of  rivers,  and  materials' 
washed  down  from  neighboring  hills  ; the  valleys  of  alt 
our  rivers  and  streams  are  composed  of  this,  and  it  is  the- 
richest  of  all  soils.  Fruit  trees  in  such  soils  make  a rank^ 
vigorous  growth,  but  they  are  not  so  hardy  nor  so  fruit- 
ful, nor  is  the  fruit  so  high  flavored  as  on  soils  with  more 
sand,  clay,  or  gravel,  and  less  vegetable  mould . 

3 


60 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


In  treating  of  the  different  classes  of  fruits,  we  shaL 
refer  to  the  particular  soils  best  adapted  to  them. 

Section  2. — Different  Modes  of  Improving  Sons. 

In  regard  to  depth,  soils  vary  materially,  some  being 
not  over  eight  or  ten  inches  in  depth  of  surface,  others  a 
foot,  while  in  deep  alluvial  valleys  they  are  often  two  feet. 
For  orchard  and  garden  purposes,  a deep  soil  is  quite 
essential  to  enable  the  roots  to  penetrate  freely  in  search 
of  food,  and  to  enable  them  to  withstand  the  demands  of 
protracted  droughts.  Few  soils  in  their  ordinary  condition 
of  farm  culture  are,  in  this  respect,  suitable  for  trees. 
Even  wdiere  naturally  deep  and  loamy,  if  the  upper  part 
only  (say  to  the  deptli  of  six  inches,  which  is  as  deep  as 
most  people  plough)  be  in  a friable  condition,  it  cannot 
be  considered  as  in  a proper  state  for  the  reception  of 
trees,  for  their  roots  cannot  be  confined  to  six  inches  of  the 
surface.  Some  means  of  loosening  and  deepening  must 
be  resorted  to,  and  what  are  they  ? 

1.  SUBSOIL  PLOUGHING. 

This  is  the  cheapest  and  best  method,  where  a large 
quantity  of  ground  is  to  be  prepared  for  extensive  plant- 
ing. The  common  plough  goes  first,  and  takes  as  deep  a 
furrow,  as  practicable.  The  subsoiler  follows  in  the  same 
furrow  and  loosens,  without  turning  up,  the  lower  part 
of  the  surface  and  a part  of  the  subsoil.  Except  in  cases 
where  the  subsoil  is  a very  stiff  clay  or  a hard  gravel 
and  near  the  surface,  the  two  ploughs  can  go  to  the  depth 
of  eighteen  or  twenty  inches.  This  is  our  mode  of  pre- 
paring nursery  grounds.  If  a single  ploughing  in  this 
way  does  not  accomplish  the  desired  end,  a *'^'»ond  may 
be  given,  going  down  stiU  deeper. 


son^. 


51 


We  had  a piece  of  scu  the  surface  of  which  was  about 
a foot  deep  of  black  vegetable  mould,  with  a slight  admix- 
ture of  sand,  resting  on  a stiff  clay  subsoil,  which  pre- 
vented the  water  from  passing  off.  Tn  this  condition  wo 
found  it  entirely  unfit  for  trees  ; we  subsoil  ploughed  it 
six  or  eight  inches  deep,  turning  up  the  clay  subsoil  and 
mixing  it  with  the  surface  ; we  also  drained  it,  and  spread 
over  the  surface  the  clay  that  came  out  of  the  drains,  and 
in  this  condition  we  find  it  producing  the  finest  trees, 
especially  apples,  pears,  and  plums.  The  soil  is  more 
substantial,  and  the  surface  water  passes  off  freely. 

2.  TRENCHING. 

In  gardens  too  limited  in  extent  to  admit  of  ploughs,  or 
where  it  is  desired  to  make  the  soil  thorough  and  perma- 
nently deep,  trenching  is  the  means. 

The  spade  is  the  implement  used  in  this  operation.  A 
trench  tv/o  feet  wide  is  opened  on  one  side  of  the  ground, 
and  the  earth  taken  out  of  it  is  carried  to  the  opposite 
side.  Another  trench  is  opened,  the  surface  spadeful  be- 
ing thrown  in  the  bottom,  and  the  next  lower  on  the  top 
of  that,  and  so  on  till  it  is  opened  the  required  depth, 
which,  for  a good  fruit  garden,  should  be  about  two  feet 
If  the  subsoil  be  poor  and  gravelly,  it  is  better  to  loosen 
it  up  thoroughly  with  a pick,  and  let  it  remain,  than  to 
throw  it  out  on  the  surface.  When  the  whole  plot  is 
trenched  over  in  this  way,  the  earth  taken  out  of  the  first 
trench  will  fill  up  the  last  one,  and  the  work  is  done.  If 
the  soil  be  poor,  a layer  of  w^ell-decomposed  manure  may 
be  added  alternately  with  the  layers  of  earth ; and  if  the* 
soil  be  too  light  and  sandy,  clay,  ashes,  etc.,  can  be  added  ;• 
and  if  too  heavy,  sand,  lime,  muck,  peat,  scrapings  of  dead 
leaves  from  the  woods,  or  any  other  material  calculated  to 
it  porous  and  friable.  If  a garden  is  thus  trenahed 


62 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


in  the  fall  or  winter,  and  then  turned  over  once  in  the 
spring,  to  effect  a thorough  mixture  of  all  the  materials,  it 
will  be  in  suitable  order  for  planting.  This  is  something 
like  the  way  to  prepare  soil  for  a garden ; and  let  no  one 
say  it  is  too  troublesome  or  too  expensive,  for  in  two 
years  the  extra  pleasure  and  profit  it  will  yield,  will  pay 
for  all.  Nothing  is  so  expensive  or  so  troublesome  as  an 
ill-prepared  soil. 

3.  DRAINING. 

There  is  a false  notion  very  prevalent  among  people, 
that  where  water  does  not  lodge  on  the  surface  of  a soil, 
it  is  “ dry  enough.”  However  this  may  be  in  regard  to 
meadows  or  annual  crops,  it  is  quite  erroneous  when  ap- 
plied to  orchards  or  fruit  gardens.  Stagnant  moisture 
either  in  the  surface  or  subsoil  is  highly  injurious — ruin- 
ous to  fruit  trees.  In  such  situations  we  invariably  find 
them  unthrifty  and  unfruitful,  the  bark  mossy,  and  the 
fruit  imperfect  and  insipid.  All  the  soils,  then,  not  per- 
fectly free  from  stagnant  moisture,  both  above  and  below, 
should  be  drained.  In  draining,  it  is,  of  course,  neces- 
sary to  have  a fall  or  outlet  for  the  w^ater.  Having  se- 
lected this,  the  next  point  is  to  open  the  drains.  We 
usually  make  them  three  feet  deep,  and  wide  enough  to 
give  sufficient  room  to  work — say  three  feet  wide  at  top, 
narrowing  gradually  to  six  inches  at  the  bottom,  which 
should  be  even  and  sloping  enough  to  the  outlet  of  the 
water  to  enable  it  to  run.  A laborer  who  understands 
draining,  will  make  two  rods  of  these  in  a day ; and 
good  pipe-tile,  two  inches  wide,  can  be  had  at  the  rate  of 
about  one  cent  per  foot.  Draining,  therefore,  is  not 
so  costly  an  operation  as  many  suppose. 

Where  draining  tiles  are  not  to  be  had  conveniently, 
small  s.Voues  may  be  used.  The  bottom  of  the  drain 


SOILS, 


53 


should  be  filled  with  them  to  the  depth  of  eight  or  ten 
inches.  In  using  these,  the  drains  require  to  be  at  least 
six  inches  deeper  than  for  tiles,  in  order  that  a sufficient 
quantity  of  stones  can  be  used  without  coming  too  near 
the  surface.  Some  brush,  or  turf,  with  the  grassy  side 
downwards,  should  be  laid  on  the  stones  before  filling  in 
the  earth,  to  keej>  it  from  filling  uf  the  crevices. 


CHAPTER  HI. 


MAKUKES. 

Section  1. — Importance  of  Manures. 

No  soil,  whatever  may  be  its  original  fertility,  can  sus* 
ftain  a heavy  and  contimied  vegetation  for  many  yeai^s 
without  becoming,  to  some  extent,  exhausted.  Indeed, 
‘there  are  few  people  so  fortunate,  except  those  who  settle 
upon  new,  uncultivated  lands,  as  to  procure  a soil  that  does 
not  need  manuring  to  fit  it  for  the  first  planting  with 
trees.  It  is,  then,  a matter  of  importance  for  every  man 
who  has  more  or  less  land  to  cultivate,  to  inform  himself 
well  on  the  subject  of  saving,  preparing,  and  applying 
manures.  In  this  country,  the  only  class  of  men,  gene- 
rally speaking,  who  can  be  properly  said  to  collect  and 
manage  manures  with  system  and  care,  are  nurserymen 
and  market  gardeners  near  our  large  towns.  It  is  very 
seldom  that  people  generally  give  the  matter  a thought 
until  garden-making  time  comes  around  in  the  spring ; 
and  then,  anything  in  the  form  of  manure  is  carried  into 
the  garden,  atid  applied  whether  fit  or  unfit.  This  is  not 
the  proper  course. 

Every  garden  should  have  its  manure  heap,  that,  in  the 
fall  or  spring,  when  it  comes  to  be  applied,  will  cut  like 
paste.  In  that  state  only  is  it  safe  to  apply  it.  All  parts 
.of  it  are  then  decomposed  thoroughly ; all  seeds  of 
noxious  plants  are  dead,  and  it  is  in  a condition  capable 
of  yielding  at  once,  to  the  roots  of  growing  plants. 


MANURES. 


65 


neartfiy  nutrition,  that  will  produce  a vigorous^  f/rm^ 
sounds  and  fruitful  growth;  and  this  is  precisely  what  is 
wanted:  far  better  to  have  a tree  starved  and  stunted, 
than  forced  into  a rank,  plethoric  growth,  with  crude,  ill- 
prepared  manures. 


Section  2. — Preparation  of  Manures. 

The  best  gardeners  pursue  a system  something  like 
this  : A trench  is  prepared  two  or  three  feet  deep,  and 
large  enough  to  hold  what  manure  may  be  wanted.  In 
the  bottom  of  this  trench,  a layer  of  muck,  grassy  turf, 
ashes,  anything  and  everything  capable  of  being  decom- 
posed, is  laid  down,  say  a foot  deep.  On  the  top  of  this, 
a thick  layer  of  stable  or  barnyard  manure,  two  or  three 
feet  deep,  then  another  layer  of  muck,  gypsum,  etc.  In 
this  way  it  remains  till  more  manure  has  accumulated 
ai’ound  the  stables  ; it  is  then  carried  and  deposited  in 
another  layer,  with  a layer  of  the  other  materials  on  the 
top.  The  manure  should  always  be  saturated  with  mois- 
ture, and  trodden  down  firmly  to  hasten  its  decay,  and  if 
an  occasional  load  of  night  soil  could  be  mixed  in  with  it  all 
the  better.  The  layer  of  muck  and  other  substances 
being  always  placed  on  the  top  of  the  last  layer  of 
manure  absorbs  the  evaporations  of  the  heap,  and  hastens 
the  decay  of  all.  When  stable  manure  is  thrown  down 
and  left  uncovered,  a dense  steam  will  be  seen  to  rise 
from  it;  and  this  is  the  very  essence  of  it  escaping  to  be 
lost,  and  if  it  be  thrown  down  in  a heap  dry  it  will  im- 
mediately burn — that  is,  dry  rot.  Its  enriching  ingre- 
dients all  pass  off  by  evaporation,  and  there  is  nothing 
left  but  its  ashes,  so  to  speak. 

When  the  heap  has  accumulated  for  four  or  five 
months  as  described,  the  whole  should  be  turned  over^ 
completely  mixed,  and  piled  up  in  a compact,  firmly- 


I 


56 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


trodden  mass,  when  it  will  undergo  farther  decompositioL 
and,  in  a short  time,  become  like  paste.  Adjoining  ever;y 
manure  heap,  there  should  be  an  excavation  to  receive  its 
liquid  drainage,  in  order  that  it  may  be  saved,  and  either 
applied  in  the  growing  season,  in  a liquid  state,  bluted 
with  water,  or  be  thrown  over  the  heap. 

Special  manures”  have  been  much  talked  of  lately* 
By  the  word  special,”  is  meant  a particular  quantity, 
•of  a particular  mixture,  for  certain  species,  and  even  for 
'Certain  varieties  of  fruits.  Nearly  all  the  suggestions  on 
the  subject  are  speculative  and  unreliable.  The  subject 
is  an  important  one,  but  we  want  direct  and  careful  ex- 
periments. It  is  only  when  we  know  to  a certainty  what 
material  certain  trees  need  most  of,  and  in  what  degree  it 
abounds  or  is  wanting  in  our  soil,  that  we  can  apply  it 
isafely.  The  experience  of  farmers  and  gardeners,  grain 
and  finiit  growers,  all  over  the  world,  affords  undoubted 
^evidence  of  the  enriching  qualities  of  stable  m.anure.  On 
all  soils,  and  for  all  sorts  of  crops,  it  is  an  unhiiling  and 
powerful  fertilizer ; and  we  make  it  the  base  of  all  our 
manure  and  compost  heaps.  By  mixing  with  it  the  in- 
gredients we  have  mentioned,  we  hasten  its  decay,  save 
its  parts  from  waste,  and,  at  the  same  time,  combine  with 
it  other  substances  that  will  not  only  enrich  but  improve 
the  texture  of  soils,  and  increase  the  supply  of  the  mine- 
ral substances  required  by  plants.  Dr.  Daubney,  a dis- 
tinguished writer  on  the  character  and  improvement  of 
'Soils,  etc.,  says,  Fortunately  we  are  prc'vided  in  the 
dung  of  animals  with  a species  of  manure  of  which  the 
land  can  never  be  said  to  tire,  for  this  simple  reason,  that 
it  contains  within  itself  not  one  alone,  but  all  the  ingre- 
dients which  plants  require  for  their  nutrition,  and  that, 
too,  existing  in  the  precise  condition  in  which  they  are 
most  readily  taken  in  and  assimilated.”  But  a good  sul> 
•stitute  "^or  this  article,  where  it  cannot  be  obtained,  is  an 


MANURES. 


57 


important  point.  Some  time  ago,  we  noticed  in  the  re- 
port of  a discussion  on  manures  in  Boston,  that  the  lion. 
M.  B.  Wilder,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  horticulturists 
in  America,  stated  that  he  had  found  the  following  com- 
post equal  to  stable  manure  for  gardening  purposes  gene- 
rally, and  for  fruit  trees. 

One  cord  of  meadow  muck,  having  been  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  air  and  frost  at  least  one  year ; twelve 
bushels  leached  ashes  ; six  bushels  crushed  bones.  Tliis 
mixture  cost  him  at  the  rate  of  $4  50  cents  per  cord. 
Latterly  he  added  to  this  his  stable  manure,  and  about 
an  eighth  of  the  Tvhole  bulk  of  fine  refuse  charcoal  from 
the  depot  of  venders,  which  was  delivered  to  him  at  $5 
per  cord;  and  in  this  way  he  found  it  the  best,  as  a 
general  manure,  he  had  ever  used.  On  fruit  trees  its 
effect  was  remarkable. 

‘‘  In  the  spring  of  1847,  he  planted  a square  in  the  nur 
sery  with  imported  trees  from  England,  this  compost 
having  been  spread  and  ploughed  in.  These  trees  were 
from  foul'  to  five  feet  in  height,  and  although  it  is  not 
usual  for  trees  to  make  a large  growth  the  first  year,  they 
acquired  branches  of  three  to  four  feet,  and  were  so  hand- 
some as  to  command  $1  25  each,  for  a row  of  fifty  trees, 
without  any  selection. 

“ In  June  last,  which  is  very  late  to  set  out  trees,  he 
prepared  another  square  on  rather  poor  land,  and  planted 
trees  just  received  from  England  upon  it.  The  soil  had 
been  thrown  up  to  the  frost  the  previous  winter,  and  the 
compost  here  was  applied  in  the  trenches  near  the  roots. 
Mr.  Wilder  exhibited  two  shoots  which  had  grown  from 
those  trees  since  they  were  set  in  June.  The  shoots  were 
four  feet  in  length,  and  the  wood  hard  and  well  ripened.” 

In  addition  to  all  these  sources  for  manure,  it  may  be 
added  that  fallen  leaves,  scrapings  of  streets,  weeds, 
wood  chips,  sawdust,  the  ashes  of  all  prunings  of  trees 
3* 


5b 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


and  brush,  soot,  blood,  animal  flesh,  soap  suds,  and  slops 
from  the  kitchen,  and,  in  fact,  everything  decomposable 
may  be  used,  to  increase  the  bulk  of  the  manure  heap, 
taking  care  that  everything  likely  to  waste  by  evapora- 
tion be  covered  at  once  with  muck,  charcoal,  or  some 
material  calculated  to  absorb  the  gases  evolved  by  de- 
composition. We  very  frequently  see  people,  in  the 
spring  of  the  year,  when  their  garden  is  undergoing  a 
purifying  and  fitting  up  process,  carry  to  the  highway  all 
the  brush,  dry  stems  of  plants,  and  all  the  wreck  of  the 
previous  season’s  work,  there  to  make  a bonfire  to  get  it 
out  of  the  way,  while  at  the  same  moment  they  complain 
sadly  of  the  lack  of  manure. 

There  was  no  such  thing  as  a manure  heap  on  the  pre- 
mises. 

Section  3. — Modes  of  Applying  Manure. 

Where  an  acre  or  several  acres  of  ground  are  to  be 
prepared  for  trees,  the  better  way  is  to  spread  the  manure 
over  the  surface  and  turn  it  in  with  the  plough.  When  it 
is  scarce  and  economy  necessary,  it  may  be  applied 
around  the  roots,  by  mixing  with  the  earth  at  planting 
time. 

Quantity  to  he  Applied, — ^This,  of  course,  depends  on 
two  things,  the  necessities  of  the  soil  and  the  quality  of 
the  manure.  If  the  land  be  poor,  an  even  covering  of 
two  or  three  inches  should  be  given  ; if  in  tolerable  good 
condition,  one  inch  will  be  sufficient.  One  inch  of  well 
decomposed  animal  manure  will  be  equal  to  three  inches 
of  a partially  decayed  compost. 

Section  4. — ^Liquid  Manure. 

Manure  in  a liquid  state  has  these  advantages  to  recom- 


MANURES. 


59 


mend  it.  It  can  be  applied  to  trees  and  plants  in  a grow- 
ing state  without  in  the  least  disturbing  the  surface  of  the 
soil,  and  it  supplies,  at  the  same  time,  both  nutriment  and 
moisture.  It  can  be  applied  to  bearing  trees,  strawber- 
ries, etc.,  in  fruity  if  defective  in  vigor,  or  suffering  from 
drought,  and  yield  an  immediate  sustenance  that  will 
enable  them  to  produce  much  larger  and  finer  fruit  than 
they  could  have  done  without  it. 

It  may  either  be  collected  in  a tank,  kept  on  purpose 
near  the  barns,  or  it  may  be  made  when  wanted  by  dis- 
solving manure  in  water.  It  may  be  much  stronger  for 
trees,  the  roots  of  which  are  a considerable  distance  from 
the  surface,  than  for  such  plants  as  have  their  roots  near 
the  surface.  It  is  the  only  prompt  and  effectual  stimu- 
lant for  trees  on  a poor  soil,  to  enable  them  to  perfect 
their  crop.  We  have  frequently  witnessed  its  astonishing 
effects.  It  should  be  applied  in  the  evening,  and  in  such 
quantity  as  to  penetrate  to  the  roots  ; half  a dozen  water- 
ings will  be  sufficient  in  most  cases,  but  it  is  better  to 
apply  it  well  diluted  and  often,  than  a smaller  quantity 
too  strong.  A dozen  shovelfuls  of  animal  manure  will 
make  a barrel  of  liquid  powerful  enough  for  most  pur- 
poses ; and  if  pure  liquid  soakage  of  the  manure  heap  or 
urine  of  animals  is  used,  at  least  one  half  rain  water 
should  be  added.  Soap  suds  form  an  excellent  liquid 
manure  for  all  trees.  The  grape  vine  is  especially  be- 
aefited  by  liberal  and  frequent  application. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

THE  DIFFERENT  MODES  OF  PROPAGATINO  FRUIT  TREES. 

General  Eemarlcs, — ^The  propagation  of  fruit  trees  may 
be  classed  under  two  principal  beads — tbe  Natural^ 
which  is  by  seeds ; and  the  Artificial^  by  the  division  of 
the  jplantSy  as  in  cuttings^  layers^  sucTcers^  huds^  and 
grafts. 

PROPAGATION  BY  SEEDS. 

Seedling  fruit  trees  are  propagated,  either  to  obtain 
new  varieties,  or  stocks  for  budding  or  grafting.  It  is 
only  where  the  very  rudest  system  of  fruit  culture  is 
practised,  as  for  instance  in  newly-settled  countries,  that 
seedlings  are  planted  out  to  bear,  for  the  reason  that, 
unless  in  very  rare  instances,  varieties  worthy  of  cultiva- 
tion do  not  reproduce  themselves  from  seed.  The  im- 
portant differences  that  exist  between  the  seeds  of  dif- 
ferent classes  of  fruit  trees,  render  it  necessary  to  treat  of 
each  separately ; their  management  will  therefore  be  given 
in  detail,  in  connection  with  the  propagation  of  stocks. 

There  are  some  points,  however,  of  general  application 
that  may  be  considered  here  with  propriety.  It  scarcely 
admits  of  a doubt,  but  that  the  greater  part  of  the  difficul- 
ties met  with  in  fruit  tree  culture,  as  maladies  of  various 
i^orts,  unfruitfuiness,  etc.,  are  induced  by  a careless  and 


PKOPAGATION  BY  SEEDS. 


61 


undiscriminating  system  of  j)i’opagation.  The  stock  has 
a most  important  influence  on  the  health,  longevity,  fruit- 
fulness, and  symmetry  of  trees,  and  it  does  not  seem  pos- 
sible tliat  our  indiscriminate  mode  of  saving  seeds  for 
stocks  is  at  all  consistent  with  rational,  intelligent  cul 
ture. 

What  is  the  ordinary  course  ? To  raise  apple  seedlings, 
a quantity  of  pomace  is  procured  at  the  cider  mill,  with- 
out the  least  regard  to  the  quality  or  maturity  of  the  fruits 
from  which  it  was  produced,  or  of  the  health,  vigor,  and 
hardiness  of  the  trees  that  bore  the  fruit — these  points  are 
never  thought  of.  So  it  is  in  the  case  of  pear  seeds. 
During  the  last  few  years,  these  seeds  have  been  nearly 
as  valuable  as  gold  dust ; the  price  being  seldom  less 
than  $5  per  quart.  The  present  season,  a neighboring 
nurseryman  has  paid  at  the  rate  of  $4  per  quart  for  a 
bushel.  How  is  this  seed  procured  ? Is  it  selected  from 
healthy,  vigorous  trees,  with  sound  constitutions,  and 
from  perfect,  w’ell-matured  fruits  ? By  chance  it  may  be  ; 
but  seed  collectors  are  usually  glad  to  find  fruits  of  any 
kind^  and  from  any  sort  of  tree^  if  they  have  only  seeds 
apparently  good.  We  do  not,  by  any  means,  intend  to 
charge  upon  any  man  a fraudulent  intent  in  this  matter. 
The  seed  collector  is  no  more  to  blame  than  the  nursery- 
man, for  the  nurseryman  seldom  asks  any  particulars  about 
the  origin  of  the  seeds.  How  is  it  with  peach  trees  ? The 
peach  is  a short-lived  tree,  highly  susceptible  of  deteriora- 
tion from  bad  treatment ; and  it  is  obviously  impossible 
for  an  unhealthy,  feeble  tree,  to  produce  sound  and  healthy 
plants  from  their  seeds.  In  some  districts  of  the  country,  a 
sound,  vigorous  peach  tree  is  a rarity ; and  yet,  how  are 
peach  seeds  saved  and  procured?  The  seeds  are  brought 
in  to  the  seedsman,  he  buys  them  without  asking  any  ques- 
tions about  either  the  health  or  sickness  of  the  trees  that 
l>]‘oduced  them.  They  are  peach  stones,  and  that  is  all  ne- 


62 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


cessary  to  be  known.  The  nurseryman  buys  of  the  seeds 
man  j ust  as  he  received  them  ; this  is  the  way  that  the  coun- 
try has  been  filled  with  miserable,  diseased,  and  unsightly 
trees,  and  who  is  in  the  fault  ? ‘‘  Why,”  most  people  w^ould 

say,  the  “ nurserymen^  of  course.  They  ought  to  be  more 
careful  in  selecting  their  seeds,  so  that  they  might  be  cer- 
tain of  having  sound  and  healthy  stocks.  They  ought  to 
select  the  fruits,  from  which  to  obtain  their  seeds,  while  on 
the  tree,  and  see  that  the  trees  are  not  in  an  incipient,  or, 
perhaps,  an  advanced  state  of  decay,  but  in  full  health  and 
vigor,  possessing  such  characters,  as  to  habit,  growth,  and 
hardiness,  as  are  desirable  in  the  best  (juality  of  nursery 
stock.”  V ery  true,  it  must  be  admitted.  This  is  precisely 
the  course  that  nurserymen  ought  to  pursue.  It  is  the 
course  followed  in  the  great  orchard  districts  of  France,  and 
that  ought  to  be  adopted  everywhere.  But  we  must  have 
cheajp^  easy^  and  lahor-saving  modes  of  doing  things  now- 
a-days ; as  well  the  raising  of  trees  as  everything  else. 
Suppose  a nurseryman  could  be  found  who  would  go  about 
the  culture  of  trees  after  some  such  system  as  we  have  indi- 
cated, it  must  be  very  clear  that  he  could  not  sell  his  trees 
as  cheap  as  another,  wdio  followed  the  present  almost  uni- 
versal hap-hazard  course,  and  if  he  could  not  do  this,  the 
probability  is  he  would  be  compelled  to  keep  them ; foi 
purchasers  of  trees,  as  a general  thing,  make  no  such  discri- 
minations. It  happened  one  season  that  more  than  the 
usual  quantities  of  seedling,  unworked,  peach  trees  were 
brought  into  the  streets  of  Rochester  for  sale ; they  were 
as  miserable,  in  all  respects^  as  trees  could  be ; yet  they 
were  sold  by  the  thousand,  at  from  4 to  8 cents  apiece, 
and  scarcely  one  of  them  ever  grew,  for  they  were  killed 
by  exposure,  fortunately.  At  that  very  time  there  were 
large  stocks  in  the  nurseries,  about  town,  of  good  worked 
trees  of  the  best  varieties,  offered  at  one  shilling  each. 
This  instance  is  quoted  simply  to  show  who  are  to  blame 


PROPAGATION  BY  SEEDS. 


63 


for  the  defective  and  vicious  systems  of  propagation  usually 
j)ractised.  That  there  vrill  be  a reform  soon  is  not  to  be 
doubted.  A discriminating  spirit  is  already  becoming  ap- 
parent among  the  best  classes  of  cultivators,  and  their 
example  will  soon  be  felt.  The  selection  of  seeds  for  stocks 
is  a point  of  more  than  ordinary  importance,  and  merits 
the  special  attention  of  every  man  engaged,  to  whatever 
extent,  in  the  propagation  of  fruit  trees. 

Production  of  New  Varieties, — New  varieties  are  pro- 
duced from  seeds  that  have  been  properly  hybridized,  as 
described  in  the  article  on  hybridization,  or  from  seeds  of 
the  best  specimens  of  the  best  varieties. 

Where  it  is  desired  to  obtain  seedlings  of  a particular 
variety,  free  from  any  crossing  with  others,  the  flowers 
should  be  protected  while  in  blossom,  to  guard  them 
against  foreign  impregnation ; seeds  should  be  saved  only 
from  large,  perfect,  flne  flavored  specimens,  and  the  seeds 
themselves  should  be  plump  and  mature.  Sometimes  a 
good  variety  is  obtained  by  selecting  from  beds  of  seed- 
lings, such  as  possess  marked  evidences  of  improvement, 
vigorous,^  luxuriant  growth,^  large  heavy  foliage,^  pro- 
minent huds,^  and  smooth,^  thornless  wood.  These  charac- 
ters indicate  superiority,  but  do  not  always  ensure  superior 
fruit.  The  stock  is  supposed  to  exert  considerable  influ- 
ence on  the  seed ; and  if  this  be  the  case,  it  would  be  well 
to  get  such  varieties  as  we  wish  seeds  from,  on  their  own 
roots,  by  layering,  or  grafting  on  roots  in  the  ground,  so 
that  the  graft  will  itself  strike  root.  Mr.  Knight’s  mode 
of  obtaining  seedlings,  of  the  best  varieties,  was  to  prepare 
stocks  from  some  good  sort  that  would  strike  from  cuttings. 
These  stocks  he  planted  in  rich  warm  soil,  and  grafted 
with  the  kind  he  wanted  the  seeds  from.  The  flrst  season 
after  grafting  he  took  them  up,  reduced  the  roots,  and 
planted  again.  In  this  way  he  had  them  bear  fruit  in  two 


64 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


years.  He  allowed  only  a couple  of  specimens  to  remain 
on  each  tree,  and  these,  consequently,  were  very  large, 
mature,  and  every  way  fine,  and  from  these  the  seeds  were 
taken.  Seedlings  may  be  tested  quickly,  by  budding  or 
grafting  them  on  bearing  trees.  We  may  fruit  apples  and 
pears  in  this  way,  in  four  or  five  years,  whilst  ten  or  fif- 
teen would  be  necessary  on  their  own  roots.  Experimenters 
on  this  subject  have  found  the  seeds  of  new  varieties  are 
more  certain  to  produce  good  fruit  than  the  seed  of  old 
ones. 

2.  By  Division  of  the  Plants. — It  has  been  remarked 
in  the  article  on  buds,  that  every  bud  is  capable,  under 
favorable  circumstances,  of  producing  a new  individual, 
similar  to  that  from  which  it  is  taken. 

Hence  it  is,  that  out  of  the  young  annual  wood  of  an  ap- 
ple, pear,  peach,  or  any  other  fruit  tree,  we  frequently 
make  several  hundreds.  Every  good,  well-formed  bud, 
properly  separated,  and  inserted  under  the  bark  of  the  in- 
dividuals of  the  same,  or  a closely  allied,  species,  will,  in 
one  year  from  its  insertion,  or  with  one  season’s  growth, 
have  become  a new  tree.  It  is  by  these  means  we  are 
enabled  to  disseminate  new  varieties  with  such  wonderful 
rapidity.  If  a young  tree  of  a new  variety  will  make  hall 
a dozen  shoots  the  first  season,  each  bearing  half  a dozen 
buds,  we  can,  if  we  have  stocks  to  bud  on,  be  in  possession 
of  thirty  trees  of  that  variety  in  two  years  from  the  time 
we  obtained  one  tree,  and  in  another  year  we  may  have 
four  times  that  number.  The  production  of  a tree  from  a 
hud.,  a graft.^  a layer or  a cutting.^  is  but  the  same  thing 
effected  by  different  means.  In  all  the  cases,  a part  of  the 
parent  plant,  with  one  or  more  buds  attached,  is  separated 
from  it.  The  cutting.^  sometimes  composed  of  one  bud  or 
joint,  and  sometimes  of  several,  we  put  directly  in  the 
ground,  where  it  forms  roots.  The  graft  is  a cutting  in- 


PROPAGATION  BY  CUTTINGS. 


65 


ficn  wi,  not  in  the  ground,  but  in  the  wood  of  another  plant 
to  which  it  unites.  The  bud  inserted  under  the  bark  of 
another  tree,  and  the  one  buried  in  the  ground,  differ  only 
in  this,  that  one  draws  its  support  directly  from  the  soil, 
and  the  other  indirectly,  through  the  tree  to  which  it 
unites. 

Section  1. — Propagation  by  Cuttings. 

A cutting  is  a shoot,  or  part  of  a shoot,  generally  of  one 
season’s  growth.  The  length  of  the  cutting  varies  from 
a single  eye  or  joint,  to  a foot,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  species,  or  the  circumstances  under  which  they  are  to 
be  grown.  The  wood  should  be  as  stout  and  mature  as  pos- 
sible, and  should  be  cut  close  and  smooth  to  a bud  at  both 
ends  (fig.  56).  In  all  cases,  cuttings  taken  off  closely  to 
the  old  wood,  with  the  base  attached,  as  in  fig.  57,  are 


ground. 


60 


GENERAI.  PRINCIPLES. 


more  successful  than  when  cut  at  several  joints  above; 
and  in  many  cases,  as  in  the  quince  for  example,  an  inch 
or  two  of  the  old  wood  left  attached  to  the  base  of  the  cut* 
ting,  as  in  fig.  58,  renders  it  still  more  certain  of  success 
The  more  buds  we  can  get  around  the  base  of  a cutting, 
the  better,  other  things  being  equal ; for  these  buds,  as  soor 
as  they  become  active,  send  down  new  matter,  from  whicl 
the  roots  are  emitted. 

Cuttings  of  the  grape  are  sometimes  made  of  a single 
eye  (fig.  59),  with  an  inch  or  so  of  wood  above  and  be- 
low it. 

The  time  to  mahe  cuttings  is  in  the  fall,  as  soon  as  the 
wood  is  ripe,  and  through  the  early  winter  months.  It 
should  not  be  deferred  later  than  J anuary.  The  soil  for 
cuttings  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  their  success,  foi 
if,  on  the  one  hand,  it  be  cold,  damp,  and  compact,  they 
will  decay,  and  if  too  loose  and  sandy,  they  will  dry  up 
for  the  want  of  sufiicient  moisture.  A soil  so  mellow  that 
it  cannot  bake,  and  yet  so  compact  as  to  retain  humidity 
enough  to  support  the  cuttings,  until  new  roots  are  formed, 
seems  to  be  absolutely  necessary — such  a soil  as  we  may 
suppose  a good  garden  border  to  be  composed  of.  Rooted 
plants  can  endure  extremes,  but  cuttings  require  the  most 
favorable  circumstances. 

Time  to  Plant— Tho,  fall  would  be  the  better  season  to 
plant  all  cuttings,  if  we  could  cover  them  so  as  to  prevent 
the  frost  from  heaving  them  out.  It  is  on  account  of  this 
difficulty  that  we  plant,  from  necessity,  in  the  spring ; but 
spring  planting  must  be  done  very  early,  that  vegetation 
may  proceed  gradually.  If  late  planted,  warm  weather 
comes  on  them  at  once,  before  they  have  formed  roots 
sufficient  tc  support  the  demands  of  the  young  leaves. 
Where  only  a few  are  grown,  shading  might,  at  certain 
times,  be  given,  and  some  light  substance,  like  saw  dust. 


PROPAGATION  BY  LAYERING. 


67 


be  spread  about  them,  to  preserve  an  even  temperature 
and  humid ity,  or  they  might  be  put  in  a cold  frame,  where 
they  could  receive  any  required  attention.  Where  acres  of 
cuttings  are  grown,  these  things  are  not  practicable. 

Depth  to  plant. — As  a general  thing,  cuttings  should  be 
inserted  so  deep,  that  only  two  buds  will  be  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  and  in  the  vine  only  one.  If  cut- 
tings are  long,  they  need  not  be  set  perpendicular,  but 
sloping,  so  as  to  be  within  reach  of  heat  and  air.  A 
cutting  of  a single  eye  of  the  vine  with  a piece  of  wood 
attached,  must  be  entirely  covered,  say  half  an  inch 
deep ; see  figures  56  to  60,  ground  line,  A,  B,  But  such 
cuttings  are  seldom  planted,  except  in  pots,  in  houses,  or 
in  hotbeds. 

Preserving  Cuttings, — If  cuttings  are  not  planted  in  the 
autumn,  they  should  at  least  be  prepared  quite  early  in 
the  winter,  and  be  buried  in  the  earth  out  of  doors,  in  a 
pit.  A mound  of  earth  should  be  drawn  up  over  the  pit 
to  throw  off  ^vater.  At  the  very  first  favorable  moment  in 
the  spring  they  should  be  planted.  Trenches  are  opened 
as  deep  as  necessary  with  a spade,  and  the  cuttings  set  in 
it  at  the  proper  distance,  from  three  inches  to  a foot,  ac- 
cording to  circumstances.  When  the  cuttings  are  in  the 
trench,  the  earth  is  partly  filled  in,  and  trod  firmly  down 
with  the  foot,  then  the  balance  is  filled  in  and  levelled 
op. 

Cuttings  require  particular  attention,  in  the  way  of  weed- 
ing and  hoeing ; if  weeds  grow  up  thickly,  and  appropri- 
ate the  moisture  of  the  ground,  or  if  the  surface  be  allowed 
to  crack,  as  it  may  after  rains,  if  not  quite  sandy,  they  will 
either  make  a feeble  growth,  or  fail  entirely.  The  ground 
wants  repeated  stirring,  to  keep  it  friable  and  perfectly 
free  from  weeds. 


68 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


Section  2. — ^Propagation  by  Layering. 

A layer  is  similar  to  a cutting,  except  tliat  it  is  allowed 
to  remain  in  partial  connection  with  the  parent  plant 
until  it  has  emitted  roots.  On  this  account,  layers  are 
much  more  certain  than  cuttings.  It  is  the  best  method 
of  propagating  the  grape  and  the  gooseberry^  and  also 
the  quince^  paradise^  and  Doucain^  for  stocks.  It  may  be 
performed  in  the  spring  with  shoots  of  the  previous 
year’s  growth,  before  vegetation  has  commenced,  or  in 
July  and  August  on  wood  of  the  same  season’s  growth. 
The  ordinary  mode  of  doing  it  is,  first,  to  spade  over  and 
prepare  the  ground  in  which  the  branch  is  to  be  laid,  in 
order  to  make  it  light  and  jfriable.  The  branch  is  then 
brought  down  to  the  ground  (fig.  61),  an  incision  is  made 
at  the  base  of  bud  A,  through  the  bark,  and 
partly  through  the  wood ; the  knife  is  drawn 
upward,  splitting  the  shoot  an  inch  or  two  in 
length,  and  the  branch  is  laid  in  the  earth  with 
the  cut  open,  and  kept  down 
by  means  of  a crooked  or  hooked 
wooden  peg,  B.  The  earth  is  then 
drawn* in  smoothly  around,  cov- 
ering it  two  or  three  inches 
deep ; and  the  end  of  the 
shoot  that  is  above  ground,  is 
tied  up  to  a stick  {G\  if  it  re- 
quires support.  In  the  grape^ 
gooseberry^  or  currant^  a simple 
notch  below  a bud  is  sufficient, 
and  they  will  root  if  simply  pegged  down ; but  roots  are 
formed  more  rapidly  when  the  shoot  is  cut  one  third 
through,  and  slit  as  described. 

A long  shoot  of  the  vine  may  be  layered  at  several 
points,  and  thus  produce  several  rooted  plants  in  the 


Fig*  61,  a con»mon  layer.  A,  the 
incision.  R,  hooked  peg.  O, 
stake. 


PROPAGATION  BY  LAYERING. 


69 


course  of  one  season.  This  is  called  serpentine  layering 
(fig.  62).  The  Quince^  Paradise^  and  Doucain  stocks, 
where  raised  in  large  quantities,  are  propagated 
in  a different  way  from  that  described.  The  pro- 
cess requires  much  less  labor ; and  where  plants 
root  so  freely 
as  they  do,  it 
answers  every 
purpose. 

"We  will  take 
a plant  of  the 
quince,  for  ex- 
ample, and,  in 
the  spring,  before  growth  commences,  we  cut  it  down 
nearly  to  the  ground,  leaving  four  or  five  buds  at  its  base 
(-4,  fig.  63).  During  that  season,  a number  of  vigorous 
shoots  will  be  made.  The  following  autumn  or  spring  the 
oarth  is  drawn  up  around  the  base  of  the  plant,  so  that 

the  crown  where  it 
was  cut  will  be 
covered,  and,  con- 
sequently, the  base 
of  all  the  shoots 
for  several  inches 
in  height.  Dur- 


Fig.  62. 

Fig.  62,  Serpentine  layer. 


ing  the  next  sum- 
mer’s growth  every 
branch  is  suflS- 
ciently  rooted  to 
be  separated  and 
placed  in  nursery 

¥ig.  63,  Mound  layering  or  banJting  up.  A,  the  point  following 

it  which  the  mother  plant  was  cut  back.  ^ rm  . • t ^ 

spring.  This  is  the 

way  to  obtain  strong  stocks  ; for  tbe  cutting  back  of  the 
mother  plant  produces  very  vigorous  shoots  the  first 


TO 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


season,  and  v^hen  another  season’s  growth  is  added  they 
are  as  strong  as  can  be  desired.  We  succeed  in  rooting 
these  shoots  the  first  season  of  their  growth  by  eartliing 
them  up  about  midsummer  ; but  they  are  not  quite  strong 
enough,  or  sufficiently  rooted,  for  transplanting  and  bud- 
ding the  following  season. 

Section  3. — Propagation  by  Suckers. 

Suckers  are  shoots  sent  up  from  the  roots.  We  ob- 
serve them  most  frequently  around  trees  that  have  had 
their  roots  wounded  by  the  spade  or  plough.  The  wounds 
induce  the  formation  of  buds,  and  these  buds  send  up 
shoots.  They  are  occasionally  used  from  necessity  for 
stocks,  but  should  not  be  employed  v/here  seedlings  can 
be  obtained.  Occasionally  we  find  certain  varieties  of 
plum  throw  up  fine  vigorous  suckers,  that  would  make 
excellent  stocks  if  taken  off  with  good  roots  ; but  their 
tendency  to  produce  suckers  renders  them  exceedingly 
annoying  in  gardens,  and  on  this  account  objectionable. 
The  roots  of  the  raspberry  are  full  of  buds,  and,  con- 
sequently, throw  up  great  quantities  of  suckers  ; and  the 
smallest  cuttings  of  the  roots  will  grow.  Suckers  of  any 
plants  that  can  easily  be  propagated  by  cuttings  or  layers, 
should  never  be  used. 

Section  4. — ^Propagation  by  Budding. 

This  operation  is  performed  during  the  growing  season, 
and  usually  on  young  trees  from  one  to  five  years  old, 
with  a smooth  soft  bark.  It  consists  in  separating  a bud 
with  a portion  of  bark  attached,  from  a shoot  of  the  cur- 
rent season’s  growth  of  one  tree,  and  inserting  it  below 
the  bark  of  another.  When  this  bud  begins  to  grow,  all 
that  part  of  the  stock  above  it  is  cut  away,  the  bud  grows 
on,  and  eventually  forms  a tree  of  the  same  variety  as 


PKOPAGATION  BY  BUDDING. 


71 


that  from  which  it  was  taken.  Buds  may  be  inserted  in 
June,  and  make  considerable  growth  the  same  season, 
but  as  a general  thing  this  is  not  desirable  in  the  propa- 
gation of  fruit  trees.  The  ordinary  season  in  the  Northern 
States  is  from  the  middle  of  July  till  the  middle  of  Sep- 
tember, and  the  earliness  or  lateness  at  which  a species 
is  budded  depends,  other  things  being  equal,  on  the  con- 
dition of  its  growth. 

Those  accomplishing  their  growth  early  in  the  season 
are  budded  early,  and  those  that  grov/  until  the  autumn 
are  budded  late — thus  the  season  extends  over  a period 
exceeding  two  months.  In  all  cases,  the  following  condi- 
tions are  necessary  : 

1st.  The  huds  must  he  perfectly  developed  in  the  axils 
of  the  leaves  on  the  young  shoots  intended  to  bud  from. 
This  is  seldom  the  case  until  the  shoot  has  temporarily 
ceased  to  lengthen,  as  indicated  by  the  perfect  formation 
of  its  terminal  bud. 

If  buds  are  wanted  before  this  condition  naturally  ar- 
rives, their  maturity  may  be  hastened  very  much  by 
pinching  the  tips  of  the  shoots.  In  ten  or  twelve  days 
after  the  pinching  of  a very  soft  shoot,  its  buds  are  fit  for 
working. 

2d.  The  iarh  must  rise  freely  from  the  stocTcs  to  he  hudr 
ded.  This  only  happens  when  the  stocks  are  in  a thrifty 
and  growing  state.  Where  only  a few  stocks  are  to  be 
worked,  they  can  be  easily  watered,  if  necessary,  a week 
or  so  before  it  is  desirable  to  bud  them.  Trees  that  ac- 
complish most  of  their  growth  early  in  the  season,  must 
be  vfatched  and  budded  before  they  cease  to  grow  ; those 
that  grow  very  late,  must  not  be  budded  early,  or  the 
formation  of  new  wood  will  surround  and  cover  the  buds ; 
in  gardener’s  language,  they  will  be  drowned  by  the 
sap.” 

The  implements  needed  are  a pruning  knife  to  dress 


72 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


the  stocks,  by  removing  any  branches  that  may  be  in  the 
way  of  inserting  the  bud ; and  a budding  'knife  to  take 
off  the  buds  and  make  the  incisions  in  the  stock.  The 
latter  should  have  a very  thin,  smooth,  and  keen  edge. 

Strings  for  trying  in  the  buds  are  either  taken  from  bass 
mats,  or  they  are  prepared  from  the  bark  of  the  bass- 
wood. We  always  prepare  our  own ; we  send  to  the  woods 
and  strip  the  bark  off  the  trees  in  June  ; we  then  put  it 
in  water  from  two  to  three  weeks,  according  to  the  age 
of  the  bark,  until  its  tissue  is  decomposed,  and  the  fibrous, 
paper-like  inner  bark  is  easily  separated  from  the  outer, 
when  it  is  torn  into  strips,  dried,  and  put  away  for  use. 
Before  using,  it  should  always  be  moistened  to  make  it 
tough  and  pliable. 

Cutting  and  Preparing  the  Buds, — ^Young  shoots  in 
the  condition  described,  are  cut  below  the  lowest  plump 
bud ; an  inch  or  two  of  the  base  of  every  shoot,  where  the 
buds  are  very  close  together,  and  quite  small,  should  be 
left.  The  leaves  are  then  stripped  off,  leaving  half  of 
each  leaf  stalk  to  handle  the  bud  by,  as  in  fig.  63. 

Preserving  the  Buds, — When  a considerable  quantity 
is  cut  at  once,  they  should  be  wrapped  in  a damp  cloth 
as  soon  as  cut  and  stripped  of  the  leaves,  and  they  may 
be  preserved  in  good  order  for  ten  days,  by  keeping  them 
in  a cool  cellar  among  damp  saw-dust,  or  closely  envelop 
ed  in  damp  cloths,  matting,  or  moss.  We  often  send  buds 
a week’s  journey,  packed  in  moss  slightly  moistened  ; the 
leaves  being  off,  the  evaporation  is  trifling,  none  in  fact 
when  packed  up,  consequently  very  little  moisture  is 
needed. 

Having  the  stocks,  buds,  and  implements  in  the  condi 
tion  described,  the  operation  is  performed  in  this  way  : 

The  shoot  to  bud  from  is  taken  in  one  hand,  and  the 
budding  knife  in  the  other,  the  lower  part  of  the  edge 
of  the  knife  is  placed  on  the  shoot  half  an  inch  above  the 


PKOPAGATION  BY  BUDDING. 


73 


bud  to  be  removed  {A^  fig.  64),  the  thumb  of  the  knife- 

hand  rests  on  the  shoot 
below  the  bud  {.B\  sl 
drawing  cut  is  then 
made,  parallel  with  the 
ishootj  removing  the 
bud  and  the  bark  to 
which  it  is  attached, 
half  an  inch  above, 
and  three  quarters  be- 
low it.  This  is  the 
usual  length,  but  it 
may  in  many  cases  be 
shorter.  The  cut  is 

Pig,  64,  a sboot  of  buds  with  the  leaves  taken-  made  just  deCp  eilOUgh 
off.  .5,  the  point  above  the  bud  where  the  knife 

was  inserted.  J5,  the  point  below  where  it  comes  ^ 

out.  Fig.  65,  is  a bud  badly  taken  off,  with  a a Small  pOrtioU  of  the 
hollow  in  the  centre.  Fig.  66,  a good  bud.  t 

»oot  of  the  bud.  root  of  the  leaf.  WOOd  is  UiWayS  takeU 


Kn 


fi  i 


Fig,  67,  a stock  with  the  bark  slit  vertically  and  across.  Fig.  66,  the  sama 
with  the  bark  raised  as  far  as  the  dotted,  line.  Fig.  69,  the  same  with  the 
bud  inserted.  Fig.  70,  the  same  tied  up. 

oflf  with  it,  and  if  this  adheres  firmly  it  should  be  allowed 


74 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


to  remain ; if  it  parts  freely,  it  sliould  be  taken  out,  but  in 
doing  so  tlie  root  of  the  bud  must  be  carefully  preserved, 
for  if  it  comes  out  with  the  wood,  the  bud  is  useless.  The 
root  of  the  bud,  as  it  is  termed,  is  a small  portion  of  wood 
in  the  hollow  part  of  the  inside  of  the  bud.  Fig.  64  i^  a 
good  bud,  root  of  bud,  B.  root  of  leaf.  Fig.  65  is  im- 
perfect, the  roots  of  leaf  and  bud  both  out.  A smooth 
place  on  the  stock,  clear  of  branches,  is  then  chosen, 
where  two  incisions  are  made  to  the  depth  of  the  bark,  one 
across  the  end  of  the  other,  so  as  to  form  a T,  fig.  67 ; the 
bark  on  the  two  edges  of  the  perpendicular  cut  is  raised 
(fig.  68)  wdth  the  smooth  ivory  handle  of  the  budding 
knife,  and  the  bud  is  inserted  between  them  (fig.  69) ; the 
upper  end  of  the  bark  attached  to  the  bud  is  cut  square, 
to  fit  to  the  horizontal  cut  on  the  stock,  the  bass  string  is 
then  wound  around  tightly,  commencing  at  the  bottom, 
and  covering  every  part  of  the  incision,  leaving  the  bud 
itself,  and  the  leaf-stalk,  uncovered  (fig.  70),  the  string  is 
fastened  above  the  horizontal  cut,  and  the  work  is  done. 
The  success  of  the  operation,  as  far  as  its  execution  is  con- 
cerned, depends,  in  a great  measure,  on  smooth  cuts^  an 
exact  fit  of  the  hud  to  the  incision  made  fcn^  it^  secure^ 
close  tying^  that  will  comj)letely  exclude  air  and  rain  wha- 
ler, and  the  quick  performance  of  the  whole.  The  inser- 
tion of  a bud  should  not,  in  any  case,  occupy  more  than  a 
minute;  ordinary  practised  budders  will  set  two  in  that 
time,  and  often  two  hundred  in  an  hour  with  a person  to 
tie.  Where  the  stocks  and  buds  work  well,  two  thousand 
is  not  an  uncommon  day’s  work  in  our  nurseries,  especially 
of  cherries,  peaches,  and  apples. 

Where  only  a few  buds  are  to  be  set,  a cool,  moist  day 
or  evening  should  be  selected,  as  they  will  be  more  cer- 
tain of  success  than  if  inserted  during  the  middle  )f  a hot, 
dry  day. 

The  chief  difficulty  experienced  by  beginners  in  bud 


PROPAGATION  BY  GRAlTTING. 


75 


ding,  is  tlic  proper  removal  of  tlie  bud.  When  it  happens 
that  tlie  knife  passes  exactly  between  the  bark  and  w^ood, 
the  bud  cannot  fail  to  be  good ; but  this  rarely  happens— 
more  or  less  wood  is  attached,  and  the  removal  of  this  is 
the  nice  point.  Where  the  buds  are  flat,  the  difficulty  is 
less  than  when  they  have  large  prominent  shoulders,  as 
the  plum  and  pear  have,  in  many  cases.  When  all  the 
wood  is  taken  out  of  these,  a cavity  remains,  which  does 
not  come  in  contact  with  the  w^ood  on  which  the  bud  is 
placed,  and  therefore,  although  the  bark  unites  well,  the 
bud  wdll  not  grow.  Sometimes,  such  as  these  are  sepa- 
rated by  making  an  incision  through  the  bark;  lift  the 
edge  of  the  bark  attached  to  the  bud  with  the  knife,  and 
push  it  off  Yvdth  the  Angers.  A safer  way  still  is  to  cut 
around  the  bud,  and  draw  a strong  silk  thread  between 
the  bark  and  wood,  thus  removing  the  bud  in  perfectiom 

Section  5. — Pkopagation  by  Grafting^ 

Grafting  is  the  insertion  of  a scion  of  ono  species  or 
variety  on  the  stem  or  branch  of  another,  which  is  called 
the  stock.  Its  principal  object  is  to  increase  certain  varies 
ties  that  cannot  be  reproduced  from  seed  with  certainty ; 
but  it  is  frequently  performed  with  other  objects  in  view. 
For  instance— 

To  Fruit  a New  Variety, — A scion  inserted  in  a 
branch  of  a bearing  tree,  will  bear  fruit  perhaps  the 
second  year  from  the  graft ; but  if  the  same  scion  had 
been  put  on  a young  seedling,  it  would  not  have  borne  in 
ten  years. 

One  species  is  frequently  grafted  with  success  upon 
another,  by  which  certain  important  modiflcations  are- 
wrought  upon  both  the  size  and  fruitfulness  of  trees,  and 
the  quality  of  the  fruits.  Thus,  we  can  graft,  in  many 
cases,  with  highly  beneficial  results,  the  peach  and  api> 


76 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


cot  on  the  plum  ; the  pear  on-  the  quince  ; strong  grow- 
ing species  and  varieties  on  weaker  ones,  and  mc&  versa 
But  experience  has  established  the  fact,  that  there  must 
be  between  the  stock  and  gi^aft  a close  alliance.  Wo 
cannot  graft  an  ajpjple  on  ^ peachy  nor  a cherry  on  a pear } 
but  the  pear,  the  apple,  quince,  medlar,  thorn,  and  moun- 
tain ash — a naturally  allied  group — may,  with  more  or 
less  success,  be  worked  upon  one  another. 

The  French  horticulturists,  who  are  the  most  skilful 
and  curious  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  projiagation 
of  plants,  describe  in  their  w^orks  upwards  of  one  hun- 
dred different  modes^  of  grafting,  practised  in  different 
ages  and  countries,  and  for  the  attainment  of  particular 
objects;  but,  however  interesting  the  study  of  all  these 
may  be  to  the  student  and  experimentalist,  the  great 
bulk  of  them  are  of  little  practical  utility,  and  are  never 
applied  in  the  multiplication  of  fruit  trees.  It  is,  there- 
fore, unnecessary  to  fill  up  the  pages  of  such  a treatise  as 
this,  with  either  a historical  account  or  description  of 
them.  The  methods  described  below  are  those  univer- 
sally adopted,  with  slight  modifications,  by  the  best  prac^ 
tical  propagators  everywhere  at  the  present  day. 

StocM  arc  of  all  ages  from  a yearling  seedling  to  a 
tree  forty  or  fifty  years  old ; but  of  whatever  age,  they 
should  be  sound  and  healthy  Nursery  stocks  will  be 
more  particularly  spoken  of  in  vhe  proper  place.  : ' 

Scions^  wQ  generally  shoots  of  the  previous  year’s 
growth.f  »'iRarely  those  bearing  fruit  buds  are  used  for  the 
purpose  i of  experiment,  but  in  such  cases  onlj^  They 
should  be  cut  in  the  autumn  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  or 
in  the  winter,  and  be  preserved  carefully  in  earth  till 
wantedefor  use.  If  intended  for  root-grafting'  early  in  the 
spring  inu  tile  house,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  bury  their 
lower  ends:  In  earth,  in  a cool,  dry  cellar;  but  if  wanted 
for  out-door*  grafting,  they  should  be  buried  in  drf  saaidy 


PROPAGATION  BY  GRATING.  77 

$oil^  in  ai  pit,  on  the  north  side  of  a wall  or  fence,  and 
deeply  covered  with  earth  drawn  up  in  a mound  to  throw 
off  the  water.  They  are  thus  kept  perfectly  dormant 
until  used,  and  not  so  dry  as  to  shrivel  the  bark.  They 
should  always  be  taken  from  healthy,  vigorous  trees  ex- 
clusively^ and  be  of  firm,  well-ripened  wood.  A mode- 
rate-sized shoot  or  scion,  if  well  matured  and  sound,  is 
much  better  than  one  as  thick  as  a man’s  finger, 
and  unripe.  People  are  by  no  means  so  careful  and  dis- 
criminating in  this  respect  as  they  ought  to  be.  Half  of 
the  maladies  of  trees  originate  in  negligent  and  vicious 
systems  of  propagation.  The  implements  used  in  graft- 
ing are.  the  grafting-hiifcy  saw^  and  chisel  (see  imple- 
ments). In  whip-grafting  or  splice-grafting,  the  stocks 
being  small  require  the  knife  only,  or  not  more  than 
the  knife  and  chisel.  It  is  always  better  to  have  two 
knives — one  to  prune  and  do  the  rough  work,  and  the 
other  to  prepare  the  scion.  Grafting  composition  is  pre- 
pared in  various  ways.  Rosin^  beeswax^  and  tallow^  in 
about  equal  parts,  answer  very  well.  Lately,  however, 
we  have  found  it  better  to  use  more  rosin  and  less  bees- 
wax and /tallow;  thus,  to  two  pounds  of  rosin  we  add 
one  and; one  fourth  pounds  of  beeswax,  and  three  fourths 
of  a pound  of  tallow.  For  whip-grafting  on  the  root 
and  small  trees  in  the  nursery,  we  use  cloth  saturated  with 
this  composition,  instead  of  the  composition  itself,  and 
find  itfniore  convenient  and  expeditious.  If  we  have  no 
old  calico,  v/e  buy  a very  thin  article,  at  about  four  cents 
per  yard.  This  we  tear  into  narrow  strips,  roll  into  balls, 
and  then  soak  in  the  liquid  composition  until  every  pore 
of  the  cloth  is  filled  with  it.  The  person  who  applies  it 
to  the  grafts  takes  it  from  these  balls,  tears  it  in  pieces 
the  length  and  breadth  required  by  the  size  of  the  stock, 
and  two  or  three  turns  of  it  around  the  graft  secure  it 
completely.  This  thin  doth  soon  decays,  and  yields  to 


T8 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


-tbe  enlargement  of  the  parts  it  encloses.  We  have  tried 
■tow,  paper,  and  other  materials,  hut  find  this  the  best. 
Having  the  scions,  implements,  and  composition  in  readi- 
ness, the  work  is  performed  as  follow^s  : 

Whip-Grafting  on  the  Root. — For  this  purpose,  seed- 
ling stocks  are  generally  used,  one  or  two  years  old,  vary- 
ing from  one  fourth  to  three  eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter. 
The  graft  is  always  made  at  the  collar,  and,  therefore,  the 
-stems  of  the  plants  are  cut  off  at  that  point ; the  small 
:tap-roots  and  any  cumbrous  fibres  are  removed,  leaving 
them  about  four  inches  in  length  (fig.  71) ; they  are  then 
washed  clean,  and  are  ready  for  the  operation.  The 
.grafter  then  makes  a smooth,  even,  sloping  cut,  an  inch 
long,  upvrards  on  the  collar  of  the  root, 

A / and  in  the  centre  of  this  cut,  he  makes 
:a  slit  or  tongue,  jB,  downwards.  Tlie  scion, 
which  should  be  three  or  four  inches  long 
{fig.  72),  is  cut  on 
’the  lower  end  with 
.a  sloping  cut  dovm- 
wards,  and  similar 
in  all  respects  to 
that  made  on  the 
stock ; a slit,  or 
tongue,  is  made  in 
it  upwards,  5,  cor- 
responding, also, 
with  that  on  the 
€tock ; and  they 
are  then  neatly 
fitted  together,  the 
tongue  of  the  one 
within  the  other 
(A^  fig.  73),  and  the 
inner  barks  v>f  both  placed  in  close  and  perfect  contact,  at 


71 


7X 

Figs.  71  to  73,  Root  Grafting. 


Fig.  71.  the  root.  A,  the  sloping  cut.  B,  the  tongue 
Fig.  72,  the  scion.  the  sloping  cut.  B,  tongue.  C 
bud  at  top.  Fig.  73,  the  union  of  scion  and  stock. 


PROPAGATION  BY  GRAimNG. 


79 


least  on  one  side.  The  lit  should  be  so  complete  as  to  sit 
close  and  firm  in  all  parts.  The  person  who  applies  thn 

wax,  takes  a narrow  strip  of  the  cloth  described,  and 
wraps  it  firmly  around,  covering  the  parts  united.  A man 
and  boy  can  graft  of  these  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  per 
day,  and  by  a special  eftbrt  two  thousand.  When  the 
grafting  is  thus  performed,  the  grafted  plants  are  put 
away  as  closely  as  they  can  be  packed  in  small  boxes, 
with  sandy  earth  among  the  roots,  and  deposited  either 
in  a cold  cellar  or  in  a dry  place  out  of  doors,  where 
frost  cannot  penetrate  to  the  roots,  until  planting  time  in 
spring. 

Whip  Grafting  on  small  trees,  standing  in  the  open 
ground,  is  performed  in  precisely  the  same  manner,  the 
oblique  or  sloping  cut  and  tongue,  corresponding  in  stock 
and  graft,  fitting  into  each  other  with  precision,  and  the 
inner  bark  of  both,  at  least  on  one  side,  placed  in  close 
contact.  Stocks  an  inch  in  diameter  can  be  grafted  in  this 

way.  Either  the  cloth  or  the  liquid  composition  may  be 
applied,  the  latter  put  on  wfith  a brush.  For  all  moderate 
sized  stocks  the  cloth  is  preferable.  In  cold  weather,  a 
small  furnace  can  be  kept  at  hand  to  keep  the  composi* 
tion  in  working  order. 

Cleft  Grafting  is  practised  on  trees  or  branches  too 
large  for  whip  grafting,  say  from  an  inch  in  diameter  up- 
wards. In  this  case,  the  scion  is  cut  precisely  in  the  form  of 
a wedge  (fig.  74).  The  part  cut  for  insertion  in  the  stock, 
should  be  about  an  inch  or  an  inch  and  a half  long,  with 
a bud  (A)  at  the  shoulder,  where  it  is  to  rest  on  the  stock; 
this  bud  hastens  the  union  of  the  parts,  in  the  same  way 
as  a bud  at  the  base  of  a cutting,  set  in  the  earth,  hastens 
and  facilitates  the  emission  of  roots  : the  outer  edgfe  should 
also  be  somewhat  thicker  than  the  inner.  A sloping  cut 
(A,  fig  75)  is  then  made  on  the  stock,  an  inch  and  a half 


80 


(^mERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


long,  anotter  cut  (j5)  is  made  across  this  cut, 
about  half  way  down,  as  at  point  the  stock 
is  split  on  one  side  of  the  pith,  by  laying  the 
chisel  on  the  horizontal  surface,  and  striking 
lightly  with  a mallet;  the  split  is  kept  open 
with  the  knife  or  chisel  till  the  scion  is  inserted 
with  the  thick  side 
out  {A^  %.  74). 

Grafts  of  this  kind 
heal  much  more  ra- 
pidly than  when  cut 
;at  once  horizontally. 

V ery  large  branches 
are  sawed  horizon- 
tally oil  at  the  point 
to  be  grafted  (^,  fig. 

77) ; tlie  surface  is 
pared  smooth 


then 
with 

split  is  made  with 
the  chisel,  nearly  in 
the  centre,  and  two 
wedge-like  scions  in- 
serted (^AIB\  fig.  78) ; 

if  both  grow,  and  they  are  afterwards  too  close,  one  can  be 
cut  away.  Aiidther  mode  bf  grafting  such  large  stocks,  oi 
branches,  is  to  ciit  them  oil*  horizontally,  as  above,  and  pare 
them  srnooth'With  the  knife  ; tlibh  cut  the  scion  on  one  side, 
about  an  inch  and  a half  long,  making  a shoulder  at  the 
top,  then  raise  the  bark  from  the  stock  with  the  handle  of 
a budding  knife,  and  insert  the  scion  between  the  bark 
and  wood,  and  apply  the  composition  the  same  as  in  the 
others,  all  over  the  cut  part.  Two  or  three  scions  may  be 
put  in  each  "-’^Tlie  principal  objection  to  this  mode  is,  that 


the  knife,  a 


Figs.  74  to  76,  Cleft  Grafting. 

Fig.  74,  the  scion  prepared  with  a sloping  cut  on 
each  side  like  a wedge.  A,  a bud  at  the  shoulder. 
'Fig.  75,  the  ^stock  ciit  and  split.  the  sloping  cut 
B,  the  horizontal  cut.  Fig.  76,  the  scion  inserted  in 
the  stock. 


PROPAGATION  BY  Qti^YTmG, 


81 


L..0 


the  grafts,  if  they  grow  rapidly,  are  apt  to  be  blown 
before  they  have  united  strongly  to  the  stock. 

The  great  points  to  observe  always  are,  ps 
to  have  sharp  instruments  that  will  make  ^ 
smooth  clean  cuts,  to  have  placed  in  j^er- 
fect  contact  the  inner  barks  of  scion  and 
stock,  and  the  whole  cut  surface,  and 
every  portion  of  tlie  split 
perfectly  covered  with  the 
composition,  to  exclude 
air  and  water.  The  scion 
should  always  be  cut 
close  to  a bud  at  the 
point  (c?,  fig.  71),  and  have 
a bud  at  the>  shoulder,  or 
point  of  union  with  the 
stock  (J.,  fig.  73). 

In  grafting  the  heads 
of  large  trees,  it  is  not 
convenient  to  use  the 
composition  in  a melted 
state,  to  be  put  on  with 
the  brush,  and  the  large  cut  surfaces  cannot  well  be  covered 
with  the  cloth  ; it  is  therefore  better  to  use  the  compose 
tion  in  such  a state  that  it  can  be  put  on  wuth  the  hands. 
A very  small  quantity  of  brick  dust  may  be  advantage- 
ously mixed  with  it,  when  intended  for  this  purpose,  to 
prevent  its  being  melted  by  the  sun. 

Double  Worhing. — When  we  graft  or  bud  a tree  al- 
ready budded  or  grafted,  we  call  it  “ double  worked.” 
Certain  very  important  advantages  are  gained  by  it.  Some 
varieties  are  of  such  feeble  growth,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
make  good  trees  of  them  in  the  ordinary  way  of  working 
on  common  stocks.  In  such  cases,  we  use  worked  trees  of 
strong  growing  sorts  as  stocks  for  them. 


77  and  78,  cleft  grafting,  large  trees  or 
branches.  77,  the  stock  cut  horizontally 
at  Ji.  78,  the  same,  with  two  scions  inserted. 


82 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


Many  varieties  of  the  pear  do  not  unite  well  with  the 
quince  stock ; we  therefore  bud  other  varieties  of  strong 
growth  that  do  succeed,  and  use  them  for  stocks  to  work 
the  others  on.  By  this  means  we  are  enabled  to  possess 
dwarf  trees  of  many  varieties,  that  we  could  not  otherwise 
have  in  that  form.  We  have  fruited  the  Dix  in  tv/o  years 
by  double  working  on  the  quince,  when  otherwise  it  would 
have  taken  not  less  than  seven.  A great  many  improve- 
ments may  be  effected,  not  only  in  the  form  and  growth 
of  trees,  but  in  the  quality  of  the  fruit,  by  double  working. 
Very  few  experiments  have  yet  been  made  on  the  subject 
in  this  country,  except  from  necessity ; but  the  general  in- 
terest now  felt  on  all  mattei’s  pertaining  to  fniit  tree  cul- 
ture, cannot  fail  to  direct  attention  to  this  and  similar 
matters  that  have  heretofore,  in  a great  measure,  been 
overlooked. 


OHAPTEK  V. 


PRtJOTNG ITS  PKII^CIPLES  AKD  PRACTICE. 

This  is  one  of  tlie  most  important  operations  connected 
with  the  management  of  trees.  From  the  removal  of  the 
seedling  plant  from  the  seed  bed,  through  all  its  succes- 
sive stages  of  growth  and  maturity,  pruning,  to  some 
extent,  and  for  some  pui’pose,  is  necessary.  It  may, 
therefore,  be  reasonably  presumed,  that  no  one  is  capable 
of  managing  trees  successfully,  and  especially  those  con- 
ducted under  certain  forms,  more  or  less  opposed  to 
nature,  without  knowing  well  how  to  jprune^  what  to prv/ae^ 
and  when  to  This  knowledge  can  only  be  acquired 

by  a careful  study  of  the  structure  of  trees,  because  the 
pruning  applied  to  a tree  must  (aside  from  the  general 
principles  on  which  all  pruning  depends)  be  adapted  to 
its  particular  habits  of  growth  and  mode  of  bearing  its 
fruit.  It  is  in  view  of  this  fact  that  the  chapter  on  the 
structure  and  mode  of  fomiation  of  the  different  parts  of 
fruit  trees  has  been  given  in  the  first  part  of  this  treatise, 
that  it  may  form  the  basis  of  this  branch  of  culture. 

The  idea  that  our  bright  American  sun  and  clear 
atmosphere  render  pruning  an  almost  unnecessary  ope- 
ration, has  not  only  been  inculcated  by  horticultural 
writers,  but  has  been  acted  upon  in  practice  to  such  an 
extent  that  more  than  three  fourths  of  all  the  bearing 
fruit  trees  in  the  country,  at  this  moment,  are  either  lean, 
misshaped  skeletons,  or  the  heads  are  perfect  masses  of 


84 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


wood,  unable  to  yield  more  than  one  bushel  of  fruit  in 
ten,  well  matured,  colored,  and  ripened. 

This  is  actually  the  case  even  in  what  may  be  called, 
in  comparison,  well  managed  orchards.  Look  at  the  dif 
ference  between  the  fruits  produced  on  young  and  old  trees. 
Tlie  former  are  open,  the  fruits  are  exposed  to  the  sun,  and, 
therefore,  they  are  not  only  large  and  perfect,  but  their 
skins  are  smooth  and  brilliant,  as  though  they  were  painted 
and  polished.  This  ought  tto  teach  us  something  about 
pruning;  but  this  is  only  one  point.  We  prune  one  por- 
tion of  a tree  to  reduce  its  vigor,  and  to  favor  the  growth 
of  another  and  weaker  part."*  We  prune  a stem,  a branch, 
or  a shoot  to  produce  ramifications  of  these  parts,  and 
thus^  change  or  'inodity  the  form  of  the  whole  tree.  We 
prune  Ho  induce  fruitfulness,  and  to  diminish  it.  We 
pmne  in  the  growing  as  well’  as  in  the  dormant  season; 
and,  finally,  we  prune  both  roots  and  branches.  Thus  we 
see  that  pruning  is  applied  to  all  ;^arts  of  the  tree,  at  all 
seasons,  and  to  produce  the  most  opposite  results. 

It  appears  hecessary  to  treat  of  pruning  under  each  of 
these  circumstances  separately. 

1st.  Pruning  to  Pirect  t%e  Growth  from  one  Part  of 
'a  Tref  to  another in  the  existence  and 
growth  of  a tree  ' ih  which  this  becomes  necessary,  is  in 
the  nursery.  Those  who  have  had  any  experience  in  tree 
eulture,  have  observed  that  young  trees  in  nursery  rows 
have  a tendency  to  increase  iri  height  without  acquiring  a 
well-proportiOned  increase  in  diameter.  In  certain  cases, 
this  want  hf  proportion  becomes  so  great,  that  the  tree 
heiids hinder  its  own  weight;  hnd^  hence,  it  is  necessary 
to  resort  to  some  method  of  propping  it  up.  This  con- 
dition is"  attributable' to  several  causes.  First,  the  absence 
'of  aHufficient  amount  of  air  and  light  around  the  stem,  to 
enable  the  leaves  on  it  to  fulfil  their  functions  properly. 
It  Tias  been  shown  that  the  fdrmation  of  new  wood  de- 


TRUNING. 


85 


j)en\is  Upon  elaborating  process  carried  on  in  the 
leaves,  atid  tliat  this  process  can  be  maintained  only  in  a 
free  exposure  to  the  sun  and  air.  This  being  tlie  case,  it 
is  obvious  that  any  part  of  the  tree  excluded  from  the 
action  of  these  agents,  cannot  keep  pace  in  growth  with 
other  parts  to  which  they  have  full  access.  In  nursery 
rows,  as  trees  are  usually  j)lanted,  the  stems,  after  the 
first  3' ear’s  giw\Th,  are,  to  a great  extent,  excluded  from 
the' light,  consequently  The  buds  and  leaves  on  them  can- 
not perform  their  parts  in  the  creation  of  new  wood.  The 
top  of  the  tree,  however,  is  fully  exposed,  and,  conse- 
quently, it  makes  a* rapid  growth  towards  the  free  air  and 
light.  When  this  is  cohtiimed  for  two  or  three  jeavs  in 
succession,  the • tree  foecomes  top-heavy ; the  quantity 
of  Woody  fibre  at  the  top  is  as  great  as,  and  it  may  he 
greater  than,  at  the  bottom ; and  hence  it  bendB  under  its 
own  weiglit.^  ^ - 

2d.  The  Tendmcy-oftTie  Sap  to  the  Growing  Points  at 
the  Top^of  the  ^<jrtowth  is  always  the  most  active 

andvigOrous,  when  Trees  are  in  a natural  condition,  at  the 
newly-forfoed  parts.  The  young  buds  are  the  most  excit- 
ablep'and  the  more  direct  their  communication  with  the 
roots,  the  more  rapid  will  be  their  growth.  Hence  it  is 
that  a yearling  treedurnished  with  fifteen  to  twenty  buds 
or  more,  from  its  base  fo  its  top,  frequently  produces  a 
shoot  from  > its  terminal  bud  on! y^  and  seldom  more  than 
three  or  four  shoots  from  the  whole  number  of  buds,  and 
these  at  the  top.  Tliis  natural  tendency,  and  the  exclusion 
of  light  from  the  sterns^  of  nursery  trees,  by  their  closeness 
to  one  another,  are  the  chief  causes  of  weak  and  crooked 
trees,  to  counteract  wbich  we  resort  to  pruning. 

In  heading  down^-  a young  cut  away  one 

third  or  one  half  of  the  length  of  the  stem,  and  this  removes 
the  actively  growing  parts ; the  sap  must  then  find  new 
chaunels.  Its  whole  force  is  directed  to  the  buds  that  were 


86 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


before  dormant,  they  are  excited  into  growth,  and  produce 
new  wood  and  leaves ; these  send  down  new  layers  of 
woody  fibre  on  the  old  stem,  and  it  increases  rapidly  in 
diameter,  so  that  by  the  time  it  has  attained  its  former 
height,  the  base  is  two  or  three  times  as  thick  as  the 
top,  and  possesses  sufficient  strength  to  maintain  an  erect 
position. 

Maintaining  an  equal  growth  among  the  hranches  of  a 
tree  is  conducted  on  the  same  principle.  Branches  that 
are  moie  favorably  placed  than  others,  appropriate  more 
than  their  due  proportion  of  the  sap,  and  grow  too  vigor- 
ously, are  checked,  by  removing  more  or  less  of  their  grow- 
ing points ; this  lessens  the  flow  of  sap  to  that  point,  and 
it  naturally  takes  its  course  to  the  growing  parts  of  the 
weaker  branches  that  were  left  entire,  and  thus  a balance 
is  restored. 

Pruning  to  renew  the  Growth  of  Stunted  Trees, — It 
frequently  happens  that  trees,  from  certain  causes,  become 
stunted,  and  almost  cease  to  grow;  the  sap  vessels  be- 
come contracted,  and  every  part  assumes  a comparatively 
dormant  condition.  In  such  cases  they  are  cut  back,  the 
number  of  their  buds  and  leaves  is  reduced,  the  whole 
force  of  the  sap  is  made  to  act  upon  the  small  number  re- 
maining, and  enables  them  to  produce  vigorous  young 
shoots ; these  send  down  new  woody  matter  to  the  stem, 
new  roots  are  also  formed,  and  thus  the  whole  tree  is  re- 
newed and  invigorated. 

Priming  to  induce  Pruifulness. — ^This  is  conducted  on 
the  principle  that  whatever  is  favorable  to  rapid,  vigorous 
growth,  is  unfavorable  to  the  immediate  production  of 
fruit.  Hence  the  object  in  view  must  be  to  check  growth 
and  impede  the  circulation  of  the  sap,  just  the  opposite  of 
pruning  to  renew  growth.  The  only  period  at  which  this 
pruning  can  be  performed,  is  after  vegetation  has  com- 
menced. If  a tree  is  severely  pruned  immediately  after 


PRUNING. 


87 


it  has  put  fortli  its  leaves,  it  receives  such  a check  as  to  be 
unable  to  produce  a vigorous  growth  the  same  season; 
the  sap  is  impeded  in  its  circulation,  and  the  result  is  that 
a large  number  of  the  young  shoots  that  would  ha  ve  made 
vigorous  wood  branches,  had  they  not  been  checked,  as- 
sume the  character  of  fruit  spurs  and  branches.  Pinch- 
ing is  the  principal  mode  of  pruning  to  promote  fruitful- 
ness, and  will  be  explained  hereafter.  It  depends  upon 
the  above  principle,  of  impeding  the  circulation  of  the  sap 
and  checking  growth. 

Pruning  to  diminish  fruitfulness^  is  conducted  on  the 
same  principle  as  that  to  renew  growth,  for  this,  in  fact, 
is  the  object. 

Pruning  the  Boots, — ^This  is  practised  as  well  to  pro- 
mote fruitfulness,  as  to  lessen  the  dimensions  of  trees. 
The  roots,  as  has  been  shown,  are  the  organs  that  absorb 
from  the  ground  the  principal  food  of  the  tree,  and  in  pro- 
portion to  their  number,  size,  and  activity,  other  things 
being  equal,  are  the  vigor  and  growth  of  the  stem  and 
branches.  Hence  when  a tree  is  deprived  of  a certain 
portion  of  its  roots,  its  supply  of  food  from  the  soil  is  les- 
sened, growth  is  checked,  the  sap  moves  slowly  in  its 
chamiels,  is  better  elaborated  in  the  leaves,  and  the  young 
branches  and  buds  begin  to  assume  a fruitful  character. 

Roots  are  also  pruned  to  prevent  them  from  penetrat- 
oig  too  deeply  into  the  earth,  and  induce  the  formation  of 
lateral  roots  near  the  surface,  similar  to  the  cutting  back 
of  a stem  to  produce  lateral  branches ; the  principle  is  the 
same. 

Pruning  at  the  time  of  Transplanting. — ^This  is  per- 
formed, not  only  to  remove  bruised  and  broken  roots  and 
branches,  but  to  restore  the  tree  to  a proper  balance.  As 
trees  are  ordinarily  taken  from  the  ground,  the  roots  are 
bruised,  broken,  or  mutilated,  to  a greater  or  less  extent. 
This  obviously  destroys  the  natural  balance  or  proportion 


88 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


that  existeel  betwden  the  roots  and  stem,  and  in  such  a 
condition  the  tree  is  unable  to  grow.  The  demand  upon 
the  roots  must  therefore  be  lessened,,  by  reducing  the  stem 
and  branches  in  length  oi*  number,  or  both;  and  the  more 
the  rodts  have  suffered,  the  greater  must  be  the  reduction 
of  tlie  stem' and  branches,  to  bring  ithem  to  a correspond- 
ing-condition. ‘ .5 

. V*-:  5 ■ ^ ' rj  - ' . / - . f; 

PRUNING  MECHANICALLY  CONSIDERED. 

Having  now  treated  of  the  principles  on  which  prun- 
ing depends,  it  remains  to  speak  of  its  mechanical  execution ; 
for  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  know  what  and  wdiy,  but 
Tiow  to  pruiid.  Theory  i^  only  useful  as  it  serves  to  guide 
in  practice.  ; ; i 

^ Priming  Ster^ijs  QT  Branolus,^^  great  point  to 
be  observed  in  making  incisions  on  the  stems  and  branches 
of  trees,  is- to  provide  for  the  speedy,  and  perfect  healing 
of  the ’wounds  or  cut  surfaces..  In  i*emoving  a jiortion  of 
ai  branch  or  stem,  if  we^cut  betweenrtwo  joints,  and  thus 
leave  a portion  of  wood  above- the  , bud  intended  to  be 
cut  to,  as  in  fig.  ^9,  this  wood  dies,  and  we  have  the 
trouble  of  another  pruning  to  remove  it.  If  we  cut  too 
close  to  the  bud^  and  thus  remove  aj  portion  of  the  wood 
with  wdiich  it  is  connected,  as  in  fig.  80,  the  bud  will 
either' die^  or  disappoint  us  by  .producing  a very  feeble 
growdh.  The  proper  way  is  to  take  the  branch  to  be 
operated^dn  in.  the  left -hand,  place  the  edge  of  the  knife 
on  it,  opposite  the  lower  part  of  the  bud  to  be  cut  to., 
andj  then  i make  a firm,  quick,  smooth  draw-cut,  slop- 
ing upwards,  so  That  the  : knife  wdlLcome  out  on  a level 
with  the  point  of  the  bud,  < us  , in  fig.  81.  In  soft- 
wooded,  pithyt trees,  like  the. grape  vine,  for  example, 
half  an  inch  of  wood  ought  do  be  left  above  the  bud. 
The' cut  should  also  be  made  as  much  as  possible  on  the 


PRUNING.  W 


89 


lower  side  of*  the*  branch  to  prevent  rain  from  lodging  in 
the  centre.  The  position  of  the  bud  cut  to,  is  also  worthy 
of  consideration  in  pruning,  to’  produce  or  modify  certain 


C • . * mT  Figs.  79  to  S3,  PRUiJiNG. 


Fig.  79j  cutting  too  far  abovo  the  bud.  Fiff.  SO,  cutting  too  close.  Fig^.  81, 
the  cut  a.s  it  should  be.  F?g.  82,  removal  of  a,  branch,  the  cross  line  indicat 
ing  the  proper  place  for  the  cut. 

tt  \ms.  When  we  wish  the  new  shoot  of  a lateral  branch 
to  take,  as  much  as  possible,  an  ujpriglit  direction,  we 
prune  to  a bud  on  the  inside;  and  if  we  wish  it  to  spread^ 
we  choose  one  on  the  outside.  In  the  annual  suppression, 
or  cutting  back  young  trees,  to  form  a stem  or  side 
branches,  the  bud  selected  to  form  the  leader  is  chosen  on 
opposite  sides  ^ every  successive  year in  order  to  maintain 
the  growth  in  a straight  line.  If  ciit  every  year  to  a bud 
on  the  same  side,  it  Avould,  in  two  ou three  seasons,  show 
an  inclination  to  that  side  injurious  to  the  symmetry  of 
the  tree.'  ' , : / V:  : 

The  Removal  of  Large  Branches,^  where  they  are  to  be 
entirely  separated  from  the  tree,  is  often  very  clumsily 
performed.  In  orchardsvitris  not  at-  all  uncommon  to  see 
them  chopped  off  wdth  a common  axe;  and  even  ingar- 
deais  there'  seem  to  be  few  persons  who  either  kno^Y  how, 
on  take  the  proper  care  in  thi S'  matter.  They  arc  either 
cut  so  that’  a portioniof  the  base  of  the  branch  remains, 
and  sends  out  vigorous  shoots,  defeating  the  objects  of  Ih® 


90 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


pruning,  or  they  are  cut  so  close  that  a portion  of  the 
wood  of  the  main  branch  or  stem  is  taken  with  them, 
and  a wound  made  that  years  are  required  to  heal  up. 
Both  these  extremes  ought  to  be  avoided. 

The  surface  of  the  cut  made  by  the  removal  of  a branch 
should  in  no  case  be  larger  than  the  base  of  the  branch. 
Wliere  a branch  is  united  to  another,  or  to  the  main  stem, 
we  notice  both  above  and  below  the  point  of  union,  a 
small  projection  or  shoulder,  as  at  the  cross  line  in  fig.  82. 
The  knife  must  enter  just  below  that  shoulder,  and,  by 
being  drawn  upwards  in  a straight  line,  the  base  is  so 
completely  removed  that  no  shoots  can  be  produced  there ; 
and  yet  the  cut  surface  on  the  stem  is  no  larger  than  the 
base  of  the  branch.  When  the  saw  is  used,  the  surface 
of  the  cut  should  be  pared  smooth  with  the  knife,  to  pre- 
vent w^ater  lodging  on  it,  and  facilitate  the  healing  of  the 
wound. 

2d.  Pruning  the  Roots. — ^This  is  performed  by  opening 
a trench  around  the  tree,  just  at  the  extremities  of  the 
roots  : the  distance  from  the  tree  will,  therefore,  depend  on 
its  size,  and  the  spreading  characters  of  the  roots.  The 
trench  should  be  the  width  of  a common  garden  spade, 
and  deep  enough  to  admit  of  an  inspection  of  all  the 
roots  of  the  tree.  If  the  lateral  roots  are  to  be  shortened, 
this  is  done  first.  The  knife  should  be  placed  on  the 
lower  side  of  the  root,  and  the  part  separated  with  a 
clean  draw-cut,  such  as  would  be  performed  on  a branch. 
If  the  tree  has  vertical,  or  tap  roots,  they  are  most 
easily  operated  on  with  a sharp  spade,  prepared  and  kept 
for  the  pmq)ose.  A smart  stroke  with  such  a spade,  in  as 
nearly  a horizontal  direction  as  possible,  will  separate  a 
pretty  strong  root.  The  extent  to  which  root  pruning 
may  be  performed,  depends  on  the  character  of  the 
species,  the  condition  of  the  tree  as  regards  gi'owth,  and 
the  object  aimed  at.  Those  practising  it  for  the  first  time. 


PRUNING. 


91 


should  go  to  work  with  great  caution.  It  will  be  better 
to  operate  too  lightly  than  too  severely.  As  regards  the 
season,  it  may  be  performed  either  at  the  end  of  the  first 
growth,  in  July  or  August,  or  in  the  autumn  or  winter, 
when  vegetation  is  quite  suspended.  We  have  operated 
on  cherry  trees  with  complete  success  in  August,  in  a dry 
time,  when  little  growth  was  going  on.  At  this  season,  a 
copious  watering  should  be  given  after  the  pruning  is  per- 
formed. 

Implements  of  priming,  and  the  mode  of  using  them, 
will  be  treated  of  in  the  chapter  on  implements,  to  be 
given  hereafter. 

The  Season  far  Pruning. — We  are  not  permitted  to  be 
very  definite  on  this  point.  The  climate,  the  nature  of 
the  species,  etc.,  control  the  period  of  pruning  to  a great 
extent.  In  the  south,  what  we  term  the  winter  pruning — 
that  performed  during  the  dormant  season — may  be  done 
very  soon  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf.  In  the  north,  it  is 
deferred  to  February,  March,  and  even  April.  In  western 
New  York,  we  prune  apples.^  pears.^  and  other  hardy  fruits, 
as  soon  as  our  severe  frosts  are  over — say  the  latter  end 
of  February  and  beginning  of  March.  If  pruned  sooner, 
the  ends  of  the  shoots  are  liable  to  be  injured,  and  the 
terminal  bud  so  weakened  as  not  to  fulfil  its  purposes. 
Besides,  the  wounds  do  not  heal  well. 

The we  prune  just  as  the  buds  begin  to  swell. 
The  fruit  and  leaf  buds  are  then  easily  distinguished 
from  one  another,  and  the  objects  of  the  pruning  are  ac- 
complished wuth  more  precision. 

Grajpes  may  be  pruned  any  time  in  the  winter,  as  a 
portion  of  wood  is  always  left  above  the  bud.  Goose- 
herries  and  cicrrants  also,  any  time  in  winter.  The 
stone  fruits  should  always  be  lightly  pruned,  because 
severe  amputations  almost  invariably  produce  the  gum. 
^Vhere  it  is  absolutely  necessary  in  the  spring,  the  wound 


92 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


slioji^ld  Ipe  coated  with  grafting  composition,  or  with  that 
reQQmmei^ded  by  Mr.  Downing  : .‘‘  Alcohol,  with  sufficient 
gum  shellac  diBSolved  in  it,  to  mate -a  liquid  of  the  con- 
sistence of  painty  to  beiput  on  with,  a brush.” 

{This  ^excludes  air,  and  r is  not  affected  by  changes  of 
weather.,  iic.  vrr-  ' r n:-? 

JPmoMng  A^)^  sort  of  anticipated  pruning,  practised 
upon  the  young  grawing  shoots,  intended  to  promote  a uni- 
form circulation  of  the  sap,  and  thus  regulate  the  growth, 
and'  alsOj^ to  induce  fruitfulness.  ^ ; 

,,  To > R^ful(^te  the  Qrowth, — -In;  the  management  of 
trees,  this  is  an  operation  of  great  importance,  as  it  obvi- 
ates the  necessity -'of  heavy  ainputations  being  made  at  the 
winter  or  spring  pruning.;  Instead  of  allowing  certain 
superfluous  or  misplaced  shoots  to  acquire  their  full  deve- 
lopment .at  thq  expensq  of  other  parts,  we  pinch  them 
early,,  and  give  to  the  necessary  parts,  or  branches  of  the 
tree,  jthejUiffriinent  jwhich;  they  would  have  appropriated, 
if  allowed,  to  remain.,  j In  this  way^.  we  are  able  to  obtain 
results  in  one  season,  that  two  or  more  would  be  required 
for,  if  yv^  depended  wholly  on  the  winter  pruning.  We 
will  suppose,; for  an  example,!  the  case  of  a young  nursery 
fe*ee  in.;, the  second  year,,  intended  for  a standard.  In  ordi- 
nary cases,  the  terminal  bud,  either  the  natural  one  or  that 
pruned  to,  is  developed  into  the  leMing  shoot  or  stem, 
and  a greater  or  less  number  of  i buds  below  it  pioduco 
branches^,  and  it,  frequently  happens  that  some  of  these,  if 
not  pinched, jqcqnire  so  ipuch  vigor  as  to  injure  the  leader 
and  jnoduce  a consequent  deformity  in  the  tree.  Fig  83 
(A)  represents  a case  of  this  kind,  which  is  very  common, 
and  too  often  neg]ected.o-  The  &hoot%  a,  ought  to  have 
been  pinch^  The  monient  they  began  lo  exhibit  a dispo- 
sition to  oufgrpyr  the  leader.  There,  are  other  cases  still 
worse  than  tips,  familiar  to  all  tree  growers ; for  instance, 
where  a strong  shoot  is  produced  pn  the  middle  or  lower 


PRUNING. 


.93 

part  of  the  stem,  attracting  an  undu,e  proportion  of  the 
Bap,  thus  contracting  the  growth  of  all  other  parts,  and 
giving  the  young  tree  a deformed  character.  All, such 


' A >ac'  of  a young  tree  ; B,  the  leader;  a,  o,  vigorous  shoots  below 
i«,  thav  w have  been  pinched.  Fig-.  83,  B,  a branch  of  the  pear,  twice  cut 

back  witu  ine  Mers.1  shoots  piacked ; a.  a,  the  first  section  ; c,  c,  c,  the  second ; 

5,  and  d,  d,  shoots  pinched  close  to  fnvoi  the  leader,  and  those  below  thoni. 

'U  j!  ■ : ' 

shoots  as  these  should  be  nipped  early,  the  moment  their 
character  is  apparent,  and  thus  a year’s  growth  nearly 
will  be  saved  to  the  tree,  and  its  proper  form  and  propor- 
tions be  preserved.  In  conducting  young  trees  for  pyra- 
mids, the  constant  and  careful  application  of  pinching  is 


94 


GENEEAL  PKTNCIPLES. 


absolutely  necessary,  for  in  them  we  must  have  the  lower 
branches  always  the  strongest  and  longest,  and  it  is  only 
by  operating  on  the  shoots,  in  their  earliest  stages  of 
growth,  that  we  can  fully  attain  this  end;  for  the  strong- 
est shoots  do  not  always  grow  at  the  desired  point,  but  by 
timely  attention  they  are  perfectly  within  our  control. 
The  various  accidents  and  circumstances  to'  which  young 
trees  are  subject,  give  rise,  in  a multitude  of  cases,  to  an 
unequal  distribution  of  the  sap  in  their  different  parts, 
and  this  produces,  to  a greater  or  less  extent,  deformity  of 
growth.  This,  at  once,  ,shows  the  necessity  for  pinching, 
to  check  the  strong  and  favor  the  weak. 

Pinching  to  promote  Fruitfulness, — Those  who  have 
never  practised  this,  or  observed  its  results,  may  have 
seen,  if  experienced  in  tree  growing,  that  a shoot  of  which 
the  point  was  broken,  bruised,  or  otherwise  injured,  dur- 
ing the  growing  season,  frequently  becomes  a fruit  branch, 
either  during  the  same  or  the  following  season ; and  this, 
especially  if  situated  in  the  interior  of  the  tree,  or  on  the 
older  and  lower  parts  of  the  branches.  The  check  given 
to  the  extension  of  the  shoot  concentrates  the  sap  in  the 
part  remaining;  and,  unless  the  check  has  been  given 
very  early  in  the  season,  or  the  growth  very  vigorous  in 
the  tree,  so  that  the  buds  will  break  and  form  shoots, 
they  are  certain  to  prepare  for  the  production  of  fruit.  It 
is  on  this  principle  of  checking  the  growth,  and  concen- 
trating the  sap  in  the  pinched  shoot,  that  pinching  to  in- 
duce fruitfulness  is  performed ; and  its  efficiency  may  be 
estimated  from  the  fact,  that  trees  on  which  it  has  been 
practised,  have  borne  fruit  four  or  five,  and  perhaps  seven 
years,  sooner  than  they  would  have  done  without  it. 

It  is  a most  useful  operation  in  the  case  of  vigorous 
growing  and  tardy  bearing  sorts.  The  best  illustraticn,  on 
a large  scale  in  this  country,  is  the  specimen  plantation  of 
pear  trees  of  Messrs.  Ilcvey  & Co.,  of  Boston.  A lar^re 


PRUNING. 


95 


number  of  these  are  pyramidal  in  form,  and  on  pear  stocks, 
very  beautiful  trees,  indeed  the  best  specimens  of  the  kind 
in  any  American  nursery,  and  though,  now  in  1850,  only 
7 years  old  (the  oldest),  yet  they  have  as  a general  thing 
produced  fruit,  and  many  of  them  for  2 or  3 years  past. 
This  result  has  been  obtained  by  pinching,  which  has  been 
regularly,  but  not  to  the  fullest  extent,  practised  upon 
them  every  season.  The  mode  of  jperf  arming  it^  is  to  pinch 
off  the  end  of  the  shoot  with  the  finger  and  thumb ; if  a 
small  portion  of  the  remaining  part  be  bruised,  no  matter, 
it  offers  a greater  check  than  if  a clean  cut  were  made, 
as  ill  pruning  to  a bud ; and  in  the  general  winter  or 
spring  pruning  which  follows,  the  bruised  parts  can 
be  cleanly  separated.  The  time  to  perform  it  depends 
wholly  on  circumstances.  If  the  object  be  to  regulate 
growth,  then  the  time  to  do  it  is,  when  the  tendency  to 
undue  or  ill-proportioned  growth  is  first  observable,  and 
this  will  be  from  the  time  the  young  shoots  are  two  to 
three  inches  long  and  upwards.  The  particular  season  of 
the  year  or  day  of  the  month  will,  of  course,  depend  upon 
the  earliness  or  lateness  of  the  season,  and  on  the  soil  and 
situation  as  well  as  on  the  habits  of  growth  of  the  species 
or  variety  to  be  operated  on.  The  true  way  is  to  be  always 
on  the  watch.  If  the  object  be  to  induce  fruitfulness,  the 
length  which  the  shoots  should  attain  before  being  pinched, 
-depends  upon  the  nature  or  mode  of  growth  and  bearing 
of  the  species,  and  will  be  more  definitely  treated  under 
the  head  of  The  Pruning  of  Trees,”  hereafter,  the  object 
now  being  merely  to  indicate  general  principles  and  modes 
of  operating.  To  illustrate  this,  let  us  suppose  the  lateral 
branch  of  a pear  tree,  (fig.  83,  B),  This  was  cut  back  the 
first  time  to  J,  and  below  that  point  five  shoots  were  pro- 
duced, none  of  which  were  needed  for  branches.  We, 
therefore,  pinched  them  in  June,  when  about  three  inches 
•ong  or  thereabouts,  and  the  result  is,  they  are  now  fniit 


96 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


branches.  The  same  branch  was  cut  back  the  second 
time  to  and  on  that  section  seven,  shoots  were  pro- 
duced that  were  not  needed  in  the  form  of  the  tree,  and 
were  consequently  pinched,  and  will  become  fruit  branches. 
At  the  points  5,  and  d^  d^  are  small  spurs,  the  base  of  shoots 
that  have  been  pinched  close  to  favor  the  growth  of  the 
leader,  as  well  as  the  development  of  the  shoots  below. 
Without  pinching  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  obtain 
such  results  in  this  branch  in  the  same  time. 

’ M.  Dubreuil,  formerly  Professor  of  Arboriculture  in  the 
Garden  of  Plants  at  Rouen,  in  Prance,  sums  up  the  general 
principles  of  pruning  as.  follows.  = (I  may  remark  here,  that 
in  1849,  I visited  the  Rouen  garden,  and  found  M.  Du- 
breuiPs  theory  and  practice  beautifully  illustrated  on 
the  trees  in  his  charge.  My  visit  was  made  at  the  time 
of  his  practical  lectures,  and  I was  able  to  examine  the 
whole  with  the  most  satisfactory  minuteness.  The  trees 
there,  under  all  forms,  and  embracing  all  the  hardy  spe- 
cies of  fruits,  were  the  best  that  I anywhere  found,  not 
even  excepting  the  much  admired  and  famous  pyramidal 
pear  trees  of  M.  Cappe,  at  Paris.  They  were  not  only  per- 
fect in  form,  but  as  'regards  fruitfxdness.  in  the 

most  admirable  condition.)  He  says  : 

The  theory  of  the  pruning  of  fruit  trees  rests  on  the  follow- 
ing six  general  principles : . 

‘‘  1 . The  vigor  of  a tree^  subjected  to  'pruning^  depends^  in  a greai 
measure^  on  the  equal  distribution  of  sap  in  all  its  branches. 

In  fruit  trees  abandoned  to  themselves,  the  sap  is  equally  dis- 
tributed in  the  different  parts  without  any  other  aid  than  nature, 
because  the  tree  assumes . the  form  most  in  harmony  with  the 
natural  tendency  of  the  sap. t 

* This  is  not  in  all  cases  true,  Peach  trees,  we  know,  left  to  themselves, 
exhibit  a very  striking  example  of  the  unequal  distribution  of  the  sap.  The 
ends  of  the  branches  attract  nearly  the  whole, leaving  the  lateral  shoots  and 


PRUNING. 


97 


“ But  in  those  submitted  to  pruning,  it  is  different ; the  forms 
imposed  on  them,  such  as  espalier,  pyramid,  vase,  &c.,  change 
more  or  less  the  normal  direction  of  the  sap,  and  prevent  it  from 
taking  the  form  proper  to  its  species.  Thus  nearly  all  the  forms 
given  to  trees  require  the  development  of  ramifications  more  or 
less  numerous,  and  of  greater  or  less  dimensions  at  the  base  of  the 
stem.  And,  as  the  sap  tends  by  preference  towards  the  summit 
of  the  tree,  it  happens  that,  unless  great  care  be  taken,  the 
branches  at  the  base  become  feeble,  and  finally  dry  up,  and  the 
form  intended  to  be  obtained  disappears,  to  be  replaced  by  the 
natural  form,  that  is  a stem  or  a trunk  with  a branching  head. 
It  is  then  indispensable,  if  we  wish  to  preserve  the  form  we  im- 
pose upon  trees,  to  employ  certain  means,  by  the  aid  of  which 
the  natural  direction  of  the  sap  can  be  changed  and  directed 
towards  the  points  where  we  wish  to  obtain  the  most  vigorous 
growth.  To  do  this  we  must  arrest  vegetation  in  the  parts  to 
which  the  sap  is  carried  in  too  great  abundance,  and  on  the  con 
trary  favor  the  parts  that  do  not  receive  enough.  To  accomplish 
this  the  following  means  must  be  successively  employed. 

“ 1.  Prune  the  branches  of  the  most  vigorous  'parts  very  sh  ^t^ 
and  those  of  the  'weak  parts  long.  We  know  that  the  sap  is  at 
tracted  by  the  leaves.  The  removal  of  a large  number  of  wood- 
buds  from  the  vigorous  parts,  deprives  these  parts  of  the  leaves 
which  these  buds  would  have  produced ; consequently  the  sap  is 
attracted  there  in  less  quantities,  and  the  growth  thereby  dimi- 
nished. The  feeble  parts  being  pruned  long,  present  a great  num- 
ber of  buds,  which  produce  a large  surface  of  leaves,  and  these 
attract  the  sap  and  acquire  a vigorous  growth.  This  principle 
holds  good  in  all  trees,  under  whatever  form  they  may  be  con- 
ducted. 

“ 2.  Leave  a large  quantity  of  fruit  on  the  strong  part,  i,nd 
remove  the  whole,,  or  greater  part.,  from  the  feeble.  We  mow 
already  that  the  fruit  has  the  property  of  attracting  to  it  the  sap 
from  the  roots,  and  of  employing  it  entirely  to  its  own  growth. 

lower  parts  to  die  out.  In  other  species,  similar  instances  might  be  quoted, 
and  as  a general  thing,  the  proposition  is  unsound,  except  in  a comparative 
sense. 


5 


^8 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


The  necessary  result  of  this  is,  what  we  are  about  to  point  out, 
viz.,  that  all  the  sap  which  arrives  in  the  strong  parts,  will  be  ab- 
sorbed by  the  fruits,  and  the  wood  there,  in  consequence,  will 
make  but  little  growth,  while  on  the  feeble  part,  deprived  of 
fruits,  the  sap  will  all  be  appropriated  by  the  growing  parts,  and 
they  will  increase  in  size  and  strength. 

“3.  Bend  the  strong  farts  and  keef  the  weak  erect.  The  more 
erect  the  branches  and  stem  are,  the  greater  will  be  the  flow  of 
sap  to  the  growing  parts  ; hence,  the  feeble  parts  being  erect, 
attract  much  more  sap  than  the  strong  parts  inclined,  and,  con- 
sequently, make  a more  vigorous  growth,  and  soon  recover  their 
balance.  This  remedy  is  more  especially  applied  to  espalier 
trees. 

4.  Remove  from  the  vigorous  farts  the  suferfluous  shoots  as 
early  in  the  season  as  fossible^  and  from  the  feeble  farts  as  late  as 
fossible.  The  fewer  the  number  of  young  shoots  there  are  on  a 
branch,  the  fewer  there  are  of  leaves,  and  consequently  the  less  is 
the  sap  attracted  there.  Hence,  in  leaving  the  young  shoots  on 
the  feeble  part,  their  leaves  attract  the  sap  there,  and  induce  a 
vigorous  growth. 

‘‘5.  Pinch  early  the  soft  extremities  of  the  shoots  on  the  vigorous 
partSj  and  as  late  as  fossible  on  the  feeble  farts^  excefting  always 
any  shoots  which  may  be  too  vigorous  for  their  fosition.  By  thus 
pinching  early  the  strong  part,  the  flow  of  sap  to  that  point  is 
checked,  and  naturally  turns  to  the  growing  parts  that  have  not 
been  pinched  ; this  remedy  is  applicable  to  trees  in  all  forms. 

^‘6.  Lay  in  the  strong  shoots  on  the  trellis  early ^ and  leave  the 
feeble  farts  loose  as  long  as  fossible.  Laying  in  the  strong  parts 
obstructs  the  circulation  of  the  sap  in  them,  and  consequently 
favors  the  weak  parts  that  are  loose.  This  is  only  applicable  to 
espaliers. 

“7.  In  esfalier  trees ^ giving  the  feeble  farts  the  benefit  of  the 
lights  and  confining  the  strong  farts  more  in  the  shade^  restores  a 
balance^  for  light  is  the  agent  which  enables  leaves  to  perform 
their  functions  and  their  action  on  the  roots,  and  the  parts  receiv- 
ing the  greatest  proportion  of  it  acquire  the  most  vigorous  de- 
velopment. 


PEimiNG. 


99 


2.  7ht  sup  acts  with  gtcatcT  fovcc  and  pi'odnccsmoTt  vigoTons 
growth  on  a branch  or  shoot  pruned  shorty  than  on  one  pruned  long 
This  is  easily  explained.  The  sap  acting  on  two  buds  must 
evidently  produce  a greater  development  of  wood  on  them,  than 
if  it  were  divided  between  fifteen  or  twenty  buds. 

“ It  follows  from  this,  that  if  we  wish  to  obtain  wood  branches, 
we  prune  short,  for  vigorous  shoots  produce  few  fruit  buds.  On 
the  contrary,  if  we  wish  to  obtain  fruit  branches,  we  prune  long, 
because  the  most  slender  or  feeble  shoots  are  the  most  disposed 
to  fruit. 

“ Another  application  of  this  principle  is  to  prune  short  for  a 
year  or  two,  such  trees  or  parts  as  have  become  enfeebled  by 
overbearing.  ^(This  principle  deserves  especial  attention,  as  its 
application  is  of  great  importance.) 

3.  “ The  sap  tending  always  to  the  extremities  of  the  shoots  causes 
the  terminal  bud  to  push  with  greater  vigor  than  the  laterals.  Ac- 
cording to  this  principle,  when  we  wish  a prolongment  of  a stem 
or  branch,  we  should  prune  to  a vigorous  wood  bud,  and  leave  no 
production  that  can  interfere  with  the  action  of  the  sap  on  it. 

obstructed  in  its  circulation,  the  more 
likely  It  will  be  to^  produce  fruit  buds.  This  principle  is  founded 
on  a fact  to  which  we  have  already  had  occasion  to  refer,  viz.— 
tnat  the  sap  circulating  slowly  is  subjected  to  a more  complete 
elaboration  in  the  tissues  of  the  tree,  and  becomes  better  adapted 
to  the  formation  of  fruit  buds. 

“ This  principle  can  be  applied  to  produce  the  following  result : 
When  we  wish  to  produce  fruit  buds  on  a branch,  we  prevent  a free 
circulation  of  the  sap  by  bending  the  branches,  or  by  making  annu- 
lar or  circular  incisions  on  it;  and  on  the  contrary,  when  we 
wish  to  change  a fruit  branch  into  a wood  branch,  we  give  it  a 
vertica  position,  or  prune  it  to  two  or  three  buds,  on  Leh  we. 

deveCl 

tfw'n  to  prepare  the  sap  absorbed  by  the  roots  for 

AU  trees^  therefore,  deprived  of  their  leaves  are  liable  u 
yensh.  This  principle  shows  how  dangerous  it  is  tc  remove  a 


100 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES. 


large  quantity  of  leaves  from  trees,  under  the  pretext  of  aiding 
the  growth  or  ripening  of  fruits,  for  the  leaves  are  the  nourishing 
organs,  and  the  trees  deprived  of  them  cannot  continue  to  grow, 
neither  can  the  fruit ; and  the  branches  sa  stripped  will  have  feeble, 
ill-formed  buds,  which  will,  the  following  year,  produce  a weak 
and  sickly  growth, 

6.  Where  the  huds  of  any  shoot  or  branch  do  not  develope 
before  the  age  of  two  years^  they  can  only  be  forced  into  activity 
by  a very  dose  pruning ^ and,  in  some  cases ^ as  the  jpeach^  this  even 
will  often  fail.  This  last  principle  shows  the  importance  of  prun- 
ing the  main  branches  of  espaliers  particularly,  so  as  to  ensure 
the  development  of  the  huds  of  their  successive  sections,  and  to 
preserve  well  the  side  shoots  thus  produced,  for  without  this,  the 
interior  of  the  tree  will  become  naked  and  unproductive,  and 
a remedy  will  be  very  difficult.” 

If  these  principles  and  practices  of  pruning  be  carefully 
studied  in  connection  with  the  habits  of  growth  and  bear- 
ing of  the  different  fruit  trees,  pruning  will  be  compara- 
tively an  easy  matter.  The  mode  of  obtaining  any  par- 
ticular form  or  character  cannot  fail  to  be  perfectly  plain 
and  simple ; yet  no  one  need  hope  to  accomplish,  in  all 
things,  the  precise  results  aimed  at,  for  even  the  most 
skilful  operator  is  sometimes  disappointed : but  those  who 
give  constant  attention  to  their  trees,  will  always  discover 
a failure  in  time  to  apply  a remedy. 

I insist  upon  it,  because  I have  been  taught  it  by  most 
abundant  experience,  that  the  most  unremitting  watch- 
fulness is  necessary  in  conducting  trees  in  particulai 
forms.  It  is  not,  by  any  means,  labor  that  is  required , 
but  attention  that  the  most  delicate  hand  can  perform, 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  at  a time,  say  three  times  a 
week  during  active  growth,  will  be  sufficient  to  examine 
every  shoot  on  a moderate  collection  of  garden  trees ; for 
the  eye  very  soon  becomes  trained  so  well  to  the  work, 
that  a glance  at  a tree  will  detect  the  parts  that  are  either 
too  strong  or  too  weak,  or  that  in  any  way  require  atten- 


PRUNING. 


101 


tion.  This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  features  in  the 
management  of  garden  trees.  We  are  never  allowed  to 
forget  them.  From  day  to  day  they  require  some  atten- 
tion, and  offer  some  new  point  of  interest  that  attracts  ua 
to  them,  and  augments  our  solicitude  for  their  prosperity, 
until  it  actually  grows  into  enthusiasm. 


/ 


1 


f 


PART  II. 


THE  NURSE  K 


THE  NUES  EE Y 


CHAPTEE  I. 

Section  1. — Soil,  Situation,  etc. 

It  is  not  a part  of  the  design  of  this  treatise  to  gire 
anything  like  a full  exposition  of  nursery  operations  ; for 
this  would,  in  itself,  be  a subject  sufBciently  extensive  to 
form  a volume  ; but  as  all  fruit  growers  should  possess  at 
least  some  knowledge  of  nursery  management,  it  seems 
quite  necessary  that  the  more  important  points  should  be 
noticed. 

1st.  The  Soil^  as  to  Dryness. — For  a fruit  tree  nursery 
the  soil  must  be  perfectly  dry^  both  above  and  below.  In 
damp,  springy  soils,  or  where  the  subsoil  is  so  compact  as 
not  to  admit  of  the  surface  water  passing  off  immediately, 
trees  do  not  thrive,  the  roots  are  destitute  of  fibres,  the 
wood  is  watery  and  delicate,  and  where  frosts  are  severe 
the  trees  are  cast  out  of  the  ground  by  the  expansion  of 
the  water  with  which  the  soil  is  filled.  We  have  known 
a single  instance  in  which  several  thousand  dollars 
(^ere  lost  by  planting  a pear  nursery  on  a soil  imperfectly 
drained.  The  plants  grew  finely  the  first  season,  weie 
budded,  the  buds  had  taken,  and  in  the  autumn  all  looked 
prosperous;  but  the  autumn  rains  filled  the  soil  with 
water,  the  situation  was  low  and  level,  and  the  subsoil 
compact,  so  that  the  water  could  not  possibly  get  away. 
The  consequence  was,  the  roots  decayed,  the  plants  were 
east  out  of  the  ground,  and  the  injury  was  so  great  and 
5* 


106 


THE  NURSERY. 


BO  general  that  the  whole  plantation  had  to  be  taken  up. 
This  ground  was  then  thoroughly  ^drained,  and  is  now  as 
good  a pear  soil  as  can  be  found — a stock  of  beautiful 
trees  standing  on  it  at  the  present  time.  This  single  in- 
stance illustrates  the  importance  of  a dry  Boil,  as  well  as 
twenty  would.  We  frequently  find  that  in  the  same  row 
of  trees,  if  there  happens  to  be  a low,  damp  spot,  the 
trees  in  it  have  no  fibrous  roots,  and  are  altogether  inferior 
to  those  on  the  adjacent  dry  ground. 

2d.  Depth, — As  a general  thing,  the  soil  of  a nursery 
should  be  a foot  to  eighteen  inches  deep ; but  all  trees  do 
not  require  the  same  depth.  Those  (such  as  the  pear) 
whose  roots  descend  more  than  they  spread,^  require  the 
deepest  soil.  The  best  quality  of  nursery  trees  are  grown 
on  common  farming  land,  twice  ploughed  with  the  com- 
mon and  subsoil  ploughs,  one  following  the  other,  as  de- 
scribed in  the  chapter  on  soils.  This  gives  depth  enough 
for  all  ordinary  purposes. 

3d.  Texture, — A soil  of  medium  texture  between  the 
heavy  and  the  light,  is,  on  the  whole,  the  most  advan- 
tageous, as  being  the  best  adapted  to  general  purposes. 
A good  friable  loam,  with  a gravelly  subsoil,  or  a mixture 
of  sand,  gravel,  and  clay,  that  will  allow  water  to  pass 
off  freely,  and  yet  not  too  fast,  will  be  found  suitable  for 
almost  any  species ; and  one  great  advantage  of  such  a 
soil  is,  that  it  admits  of  rotation  in  crops. 

4th.  Quality, — For  the  growth  of  young  fruit  trees,  a soil 
should  be  in  such  a condition  as  to  furnish  a sufficient  sup- 
ply of  nutriment  to  ensure  a vigorous  and  robust  growth ; 
but  it  may  be  too  rich,  and  produce  rank  wood  that  will 
not  mature  properly,  and  be  unable  to  withstand  the 
change  of  climate  or  soil  consequent  upon  transplanting. 
Where  manures  are  used,  they  should  be  well  decom- 
posed ; fresh  warm  manures  excite  trees  into  a very  rapid 
growth,  but  the  wood  is  watery  and  feeble.  A dry  soil  of 


30IL. 


107 


ili0*ierate  richness  produces  hardy  trees,  their  wood  is  firm, 
the  piump  and  close  together,  and  tr.e  parts  well  pro- 
poilioDed. 

5.  ^aying  ouL- the  nursery  is  of  considerable 
extent,  the  ground  should  be  laid  out  and  arranged  in 
square  or  rectangular  plots  of  convenient  size,  and  be 
intersected  with  walks.  One  portion  should  be  set  apart 
for  the  propagation  of  stocks  from  layers,  another  for  cut- 
tings, another  for  seeds,  &c.  In  setting  apart  ground  foi 
the  different  kinds  of  trees,  if  there  be  a choice,  the  pear 
should  have  the  deepest  and  best,  the  plum  the  most  com 
pact  or  clayey,  the  peach,  apricot,  cherry,  &c.,  the  lightest 
and  dryest. 

6.  Exposure, — Nursery  ground  for  fruit  trees  should  be 
well  elevated,  but  not  fully  exposed  to  the  prevailing  high 
winds,  as  the  young  trees  are  apt  to  be  broken  off  during 
the  first  year’s  growth  if  not  kept  well  tied  up  to  stakes. 
In  onr  section  we  find  it  very  advantageous  to  have  some 
protection  from  the  west  winds  especially,  though  we 
sometimes  have  a south  wind  quite  destructive  in  exposed 
places  to  the  young  buds.  Situations  where  snow  is  liable 
to  drift  into,  should  be  avoided,  in  sections  where  heavy 
enow  storms  prevail,  for  sometimes  vast  quantities  of  trees 
are  broken  down  in  corners  of  fences  and  sheltered  situa- 
tions where  the  snow  accumulates  in  heavy  drifts. 

7.  Rotation  or  Succession  of  Crops, — ^This  is  quite  as 
important  in  the  management  of  the  nursery  as  of  the  farm. 
Not  more  than  one  crop  of  one  species  should  be  planted 
on  the  same  ground ; and  those  of  the  most  opposite 
character  should  follow  one  another.  Where  one  species 
is  grown  on  the  same  ground  for  eight  or  ten  years,  it  is 
found  by  experience  that  even  the  most  liberal  manuring 
fails  to  produce  such  fine,  sound,  healthy,  and  vigorous 
trees  as  new  ground  without  manure.  Where  land  ig 
scarce,  aud  it  is  necessary  to  use  the  same  ground  for  the 


108 


THE  NUESETiiY. 


same  kind  of  trees,  it  should  at  least  be  allowed  one  season’s 
rest,  and  be  well  supplied  witlrsuch  material  as  the  trees 
to  be  grown  in  it  require  in  the  largest  quantities,  or  in 
which  the  soil  is  found  to  be  most  deficient. 

Section  2. — Description  and  Propagation  of  Stocks. 

This  branch  of  the  subject  is  of  such  importance,  and 
involves  so  many  considerations,  that  it  seems  to  be  more 
methodical  to  treat  it  separate  from  subsequent  operations. 

1st.  StocTcs  for  the  Ajpjple. — ^The  principal  stocks  in  use 
for  the  apple  are  the  common  seedling^  or  free  stocky  the 
Doucain^  and  the  Paradise, 

Seedlings,^  or  free  stocks,^  are  ordinarily  produced  from 
seeds  taken  promiscuously  from  the  cider  mill  in  the 
autumn. 

Preparing  the  Seed, — ^The  cakes  of  pressed  pomace 
are  broken  up,  and  the  coarser  materials,  straw,  &c.,  sepa- 
rated from  it  by  means  of  a coarse  sieve,  the  sifted  pomace 
is  then  put  into  large  tubs,  and  subjected  to  repeated 
washings  until  clean.  The  clean  plump  seed  falls  to  the 
bottom,  and  the  pomace  and  light  poor  seed  are  carried 
off  in  the  washings.  When  fruits  have  been  selected  for 
the  seeds,  they  are  placed  in  heaps  until  fermentation  and 
decay  have  reduced  the  fiesh  to  a soft  pulpy  state,  when 
they  are  washed  in  tubs,  in  the  same  manner  as  pomace. 

Saving  the  Seed, — When  the  seed  is  washed  out  as 
above,  it  must  be  spread  thinly  on  boards,  and  repeatedly 
turned  over  until  perfectly  dry,  when  it  is  put  away  in 
boxes,  mixed  with  sand,  containing  a slight  degree  of 
moisture.  The  boxes  should  be  well  secured  against  ver- 
min, and  be  kept  in  a dry,  cool  place,  till  the  time  of 
planting. 

Season  and  Mode  of  Planting, — If  the  ground  be  in 
readiness,  and  perfectly  dry  and  friable,  the  best  time  is 


PKOrAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


109 


the  fall,  as  soon  as  the  seeds  are  cleaned.  At  this  season 
the  pomace,  seeds  and  all,  as  it  comes  from  the  press,  may 
be  planted  without  any  washing.  It  should  be  broken 
up  fine,  so  that  it  may  be  evenly  distributed  in  the  seed 
bed.  The  difficulty  of  doing  this,  is  a serious  objection  to 
this  mode.  By  taking  some  pains  in  the  sowing,  we  raise 

good  stocks  in  this  as  in  any  other  way ; the  decayed 
pulp  contributes  considerable  nutriment  to  the  young 
plants  in  their  earliest  stage  of  growth. 

When  deferred  till  spring,  it  should  be  done  at  the 
earliest  moment  that  the  condition  of  the  ground  will  ad- 
mit. When  the  ground  is  ready,  a line  is  stretched  along 
one  side  of  the  plot,  and  a drill  opened  with  a hoe  about 
eight  or  ten  inches  wide  and  three  deep ; the  seeds  are 
>hen  dropped,  and  the  fine  earth  drawn  over  them  with 
the  hoe  as  regular  as  possible,  covering  them  about  three 
inches  deep.  If  some  leaf  mould  from  the  woods  or  old 
decomposed  manure  in  a fit  state  for  spreading  could  be 
had,  and  a covering  of  an  inch  deep  of  it  spread  on  the 
top  of  the  drills,  it  would  prevent  the  surface  from  baking 
or  cracking,  and  allow  the  plants  to  come  up  with  greater 
strength  and  regularity.  Whatever  depth  of  such  a cover- 
ing be  used,  should  be  deducted  from  the  covering  of 
,ommon  earth. 

Distance  to  Plant. — ^When  large  quantities  are  raised, 
^xie  drills  should  be  three  feet  apart  to  admit  of  the  culti- 
vator passing  between  them ; for  the  ground  should  be 
kept  perfectly  clean  and  mellow  around  seedlings  the 
whole  season. 

After  Management. — ^It  is  of  great  importance  that  they 
be  not  in  any  way  stunted,  either  in  first  coming  through 
the  soil  by  a hard  surface,  or  afterwards  by  weeds  and 
lack  of  culture ; seedlings  stunted  during  the  early  stag*^>w 
of  their  growth  never  make  vigorous,  healthy  stocks,  dhP 
indeed  should  never  be  planted.  When  they  appear 


110 


THE  NURSEEY. 


above  the  surfa.  '^nd  are  too  close  together,  they  should 
as  soon  as  possiL.  be  thinned  out  to  regular  distances; 
for  when  grown  up  ‘n  dense  masses,  they  are  generally 
feeble  and  worthless.  One  hundred  good  vigorous  stocks 
are  worth  five  hundred  poor  ones.  It  is  very  common  to 
see  seedlings  of  one  year  larger  than  those  of  two  years, 
under  different  management,  and  in  such  a case  the  year- 
lings are  worth  twice  as  much  as  the  others.  A very  good 
plan  is  to  thin  out  all  the  weakest  plants  when  about  four 
or  five  inches  high,  leaving  those  only  of  vigorous  habit 
and  large  foliage. 

The  Doucain  is  a distinct  species  of  apple ; the  tree  is 
of  medium  size,  bears  small  sweet  fruit,  and  reproduces 
itself  from  seed.  It  is  used  for  stocks  for  apple  trees  of 
medium  size,  pyramids^  or  dwarf  standards  for  gardens. 
It  is  propagated  almost  exclusively  from  layers ; see  fig. 
63.  The  plants  to  be  propagated  from  are  planted  in  a 
rich  deep  friable  soil,  and  cut  back  to  within  four  to  six 
inches  of  the  collar ; the  buds,  or  the  part  below  the  cut, 
will,  during  the  next  season,  produce  strong  shoots ; the 
following  spring  the  earth  is  drawn  up  around  each  plant 
in  the  form  of  a mound,  so  that  the  whole  of  the  stem  and 
the  base  of  all  the  shoots  will  be  covered  at  least  three 
inches  deep ; duriug  that  season  all  the  shoots  will  pro- 
duce roots,  and  should  be  separated  from  the  mother  plant 
or  stool,  as  such  plants  are  termed,  in  the  fall.  If  left  on 
till  spring  the  frost  would  be  likely  to  injure  them.  The 
stools  are  then  dressed,  the  soil  around  them  fs  spaded  up 
and  enriched  with  well  decayed  manure,  and  the  follow- 
ing season  another  crop  of  shoots  is  produced,  much 
more  numerous  than  the  first,  to  be  treated  in  the  same 
way.  Every  year  these  stool  plants  increase  in  size  and 
in  the  quantity  of  their  productions,  if  well  treated. 
Another  course,  but  not  so  good,  is  frequently  pursued 
when  stocks  are  scarce.  The  shoots  are  layered,  by  bend 


PROPAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


Ill 


ing  dowTi  as  described  in  layering,  the  first  season  of  their 
growth  in  July,  and  may  be  sufficiently  rooted  in  the  fall 
to  be  transferred  to  nursery  rows  in  the  spring  follo^ving ; 
a year  is  thus  saved,  but  the  stocks  are,  of  course,  much 
inferior.  If  earthed  up  in  midsummer,  they  will  be  par- 
tially rooted  in  the  autumn  too,  but  not  so  well  as  if  bent 
down,  for  the  bending  has  a tendency  to  stop  the  sap  at 
the  point  fastened  to  the  ground,  and  hastens  the  forma- 
tion of  roots. 

The  Paradise. — ^This  also  is  a distinct  species  of  apple. 
The  tree  is  of  very  small  size,  never  attaining  over  three 
to  four  feet  in  height.  It  is  used  for  stocks  for  dwarf 
trees  or  bushes  that  occupy  but  a small  space  in  the  gar- 
den*. It  is  propagated  in  precisely  the  same  manner  as 
that  described  for  the  Doucain. 

2d.  Stocks  for  the  Pear. — ^The  jpear  seedling  and  the 
quince  are  the  only  two  stocks  on  w^hich  the  pear  can  be 
advantageously  worked  to  any  considerable  extent.  The 
mountain  ash  and  the  thorn  are  occasionally  used  for 
special  purposes  only. 

Pear  Seedlings. — ^The  seeds  are  obtained  by  collecting 
such  fruits  as  can  be  had,  containing  perfect  seeds.  Great 
care  should  be  taken  to  gather  the  fruits  of  hardy, 
healthy,  vigorous  trees  only,  and  the  seeds  should  be  full 
and  plump.  The  seeds  are  separated  and  washed,  as  de- 
scribed for  apples.  They  are  also  saved  and  planted  in  a 
manner  similar  in  all  respects ; but  in  this  country  it  is  a 
much  more  difficult  matter  to  succeed  with  pear  seedlings 
than  with  the  apple.  This  difficulty  is  owing  chiefly  to  a 
species  of  rust  or  blight  that  attacks  the  leaves  of  the 
young  plants,  very  often  before  they  have  completed  their 
first  season’s  growth.  To  obviate  the  difficulty  which  this 
malady  presents,  a vigorous  growth  should  be  obtained 
early  in  the  season.  New  soil,  or  that  in  which  trees 
have  not  been  grown  in  before,  should  be  selected.  The 


112 


THE  NURSERY. 


autumn  before  planting,  it  should  be  trenched  or  subsoil 
ploughed  to  the  depth  of  two  feet,  for  the  pear  has  long 
tap  roots,  and  liberally  enriched  with  a compost  of  stable 
manure,  leaf  mould  or  muck^  and  wood  ashes^  in  about 
equal  parts  : four  inches  deep  of  this  spread  over  the  sur- 
face before  ploughing,  will  be  suflScient  for  any  ordinary 
soil.  Lime  should  also  be  given  liberally,  unless  the  soil 
be  naturally  and  strongly  calcareous.  A soil  prepared 
thus  in  the  fall,  will  require  another  ploughing  or  spading 
in  the  spring,  to  mix  all  the  materials  properly  with  the 
soil,  and  fit  it  for  the  seeds.  Where  large  quantities  are 
grown,  the  drills  may  be  the  same  distance  apart  as  that 
recommended  for  apples,  three  feet ; but  if  only  a few, 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  will  be  sufficient,  as  the  clean- 
ing can  be  done  with  the  hoe.  The  seeds  should  be  scat- 
tered thinly,  that  every  plant  may  have  sufficient  space 
without  any  thinning.  From  time  to  time  we  find  re- 
gular recipes  given  for  raising  pear  seedlings,  with  the 
same  precision  that  pudding  recipes  are  given  in  the 
cook  books.  Bone  dust^  ’blacksmiths'^  cinders^  muck^  lime^ 
wood  ashes^  and  half  a dozen  other  things,  are  recom- 
mended to  be  compounded  in  pecks  and  half  pecks,  all 
with  a view  to  remedy  the  rust  or  leaf  blight  that  no 
man  can  say  originates  in  any  defect  of  the  soil.  The 
cause  may  be  in  the  atmosphere,  or  it  may  be  an  insect, 
or  it  may  be  something  else,  for  aught  anybody  yet 
knows  to  the  contrary.  The  end  to  aim  at,  as  before  re- 
marked, is  to  get  good  growth,  say  eighteen  to  twenty 
inches  in  height,  and  stout  in  proportion,  before  the  first 
of  August.  This  can  be  done  in  any  deeply-trenched, 
fresh  soil,  well  prepared  and  manured  as  described  above. 
During  the  past  season,  a lot  of  very  fine  seedling  pears 
were  raised  in  fresh,  new  soil,  in  Ontario  county;  then 
foliage  was  quite  fresh  when  the  frosts  came,  and  they 
had  received  no  special  manuring  either.  Pear  seedlings 


PROPAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


113 


should  always  be  taken  up  in  the  fall,  after  ihe  first 
season’s  growth,  the  largest  selected  for  transplanting 
into  the  nursery,  and  the  smaller  to  be  put  into  beds,  to 
remain  another  season. 

Quince  StocJcs  are  propagated  with  considerable  success 
by  cuttings.  These  should  be  strong  shoots,  six  inches  to 
a foot  long,  taken  off  close  to  the  old  wood,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, with  a small  portion  attached,  prepared  as  directed 
in  article  on  cuttings,  early  in  the  winter,  and  kept  in  pits 
two  or  three  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  soil,  in  a dry 
place,  till  planting  time  in  spring.  They  should  be 
planted  in  a lights  friable^  deep  soil^  in  rows  eighteen 
inches  to  two  feet  apart,  four  to  six  inches  apart  in  the 
row,  and  so  deep  that  but  a couple  of  buds  remain  above 
the  surface.  The  ground  should  be  kept  clean  and  mel- 
low amongst  them  all  summer,  and  if  the  cuttings  were 
and  long,  they  will  in  the  autumn  be  fit  for  taking 
up  uua  preparing  for  planting  into  nursery  rows  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  The  best  and  surest  method  of  propa^^?^ 
ing  the  quince  stock,  however,  is  by  layers^  as  the  be^i 
variety  for  that  purpose  does  not  strike  so  freely  from  cut- 
tings as  the  common  sorts.  The  manner  of  layering  is 
that  recommended  for  the  Doucain  and  paradise^  by 
Earthing  up.  The  stool  plants  should  be  set  out  in  a fine, 
rich,  deep  border  of  warm,  friable  soil,  and  be  about  six 
feet  apart,  when  designed  to  be  permanent.  As  each  stool, 
by  the  system  recommended,  can  only  yield  a crop  of 
plants  every  two  years,  there  should  be  two  sets,  so  that 
an  annual  supply  may  be  obtained. 

By  the  ordinary  system  of  bending  down  the  shoots, 
and  slitting,  or  even  without  the  slitting,  a crop  may  be 
obtained  every  year,  that  is,  the  shoots  of  the  current  sea- 
son’s growth  may  be  layered  in  July  or  August,  but  no 
such  stocks  can  be  obtained  as  by  the  earthing  up  and 


114 


THE  NURSERY. 


taking  a crop  every  two  years.  Tliis  is  tlie  system  recoki 
mended  to  those  who  want  rate  quince  stocks. 

The  very  general  lack  of  information  in  this  country  oh 
the  subject  of  quince  stocks  for  pears  has  given  rise  to  a 
great  many  misapprehensions  and  erroneous  statements  in 
regard  to  them,  both  by  horticultural  writers  and  others. 
At  first  it  was  said  that  the  stock  used  by  the  French  and 
imported  by  nurserymen  here  were  the  Portugal.  Again, 
it  was  discovered  they  were  nothing  more  than  the  com- 
mon apple  quince  ; consequently  a multitude  of  the  apple 
quinces  have  been  worked,  and  sent  out  as  “ dwarf  jpears^^ 
The  slow  and  feeble  growth  of  this  variety  unfits  it  entirely 
for  a stock  for  the  pear,  and  only  a very  few  varieties  will 
form  a union  with  it  that  will  last  over  three  or  four  years. 
Such  trees  cannot  fail  to  give  general  dissatisfaction,  and 
among  people  who  know  no  better,  create  a prejudice 
against  quince  stocks  in  general.  Indeed  this  is  the  cause 
why  so  much  has  been  said  about  the  pears  on  quince 
being  so  short-lived. 

The  truth  is,  that  the  varieties  used  in  France  are  nei- 
ther the  Apple  nor  the  Portugal  Quince,  but  vigorous 
hybrids  that  have  been  originated  there,  and  found  tt 
answer  this  puiq)Ose  particularly  well.  The  great  requisite 
of  a quince  stock  for  the  pear  is  di  free^vigorous  and  rapi(» 
growth.  A variety  originated  at  the  town  of  Angers  ii 
France,  and  extensively  used,  propagated  and  sold  there 
as  the  Angers  Quince.^  is  probably  the  best  yet  known  fa 
a pear  stock  generally.  It  is  a very  rapid,  vigorous  growei 
making  strong  shoots  three  feet  long  in  one  season.  It  har 
large  foliage  resembling  the  Portugal.  In  some  parts  ot 
France,  as  in  Normandy,  it  is  known  as  the  hroad-lea/oed 
There  is  another  variety  with  smaller  leaves,  but  of  free 
vigorous  growth  too,  almost  exclusively  cultivated  in  some 
districts.  Several  extensive  nurserymen  at  Orleans,  Paris, 
and  elsewhere,  consider  it  superior  to  the  broad-leave<i, 


PROrAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


115 


and  especially  for  very  vigorous  growing  soi*ts.  It  is 
known  as  the  small-leaved. 

We  have  tried  both  extensively,  and  find  but  very  little 
difference  thus  far  in  the  results  obtained.  We  are  now 
engaged  in  experiments  testing  the  fitness  of  another 
variety  quite  distinct  in  its  character,  habits  of  growth, 
(fee.,  from  all  the  others.  It  is  remarkably  erect,  with  a 
bushy,  branching  head,  and  roots  composed  almost  entirely 
of  fine  fibres.  Every  cutting  grows  when  other  sorts  are  a 
complete  failure ; and  a cutting  made  of  a stout  shoot  set 
in  the  ground  in  April  may  be  budded  in  September.  The 
largest  plants  we  have  are  but  three  years  old ; and  judg- 
ing from  these,  it  will  not  attain  so  large  a size  as  the 
Angers,  but  the  pear  seems  to  unite  well  with  it,  and  we 
believe  it  will  make  an  excellent  stock,  for  free  growing 
kinds  particularly.  It  is  yet  too  soon,  however,  to  decide 
upon  its  merits  in  any  respect,  except  that  of  being  easily 
propagated. 

The  Mountain  As\  it  is  said,  makes  a good  stock  for 
certain  varieties  in  veiy  light,  sandy- soils,  when  neither 
the  pear  nor  quince  succ.'eds  well.  It  is  propagated  from 
seed,  and  requires  to  be  t 70  years  old  before  being  worked. 

The  Thorn, — Seedlin;.s  of  our  vigorous  native  thorns' 
make  good  stocks  when  tbout  three  yeai  ' old ; the  seeds 
require  to  be  in  the  rot  h ap  one  year  bef  re  sowing.  The 
only  cases  in  which  it  ca  i be  recommen  led,  are  those  in 
which  a soil  may  be  so  v et  and  cold  as  o be  unfit  for  the 
oear  or  quince  ; but  it  is  better  to  imp  ove  such  soils  by 
draining,  subsoil  ploughi  r g,  and  by  the'iddition  of  suitable 
composts,  for  even  the  tuorn  will  fail  in  giving  satisfac- 
tion on  a stiff,  cold  soil. 

c;^.  Oherry,-—^\\Q  principal  stocks  used 

for  the  cherry  are  Ine  mazzu^dj  f jr  standard  orchard  trees, 
and  the  mahaleb  for  garden  pyramids  and  dwarfs. 

Mazzard  Seedlings. — ^The  mazzard  cherry  is  a lofty, 


116 


4 THE  NURSERY. 


rapid-growing,  pyramidal-headed  tree.  Its  fruit  is  small 
dark  brown,  or  black,  with  a sprightly  flavor  and  slight 
bitterness.  It  is  the  original  ^ype  of  all  the  heart  varie- 
ties. 

Preparing  and  sawing  the  Seeds, — ^The  fruit  is  allowed 
to  remain  on  the  tree  until  thoroughly  ripe.  It  is  then 
shaken  or  picked  off,  and  put  into  tubs,  where  the  pulp  is 
washed  off  until  the  stones  are  perfectly  clean.  They 
are  then  spread  out  on  boards,  and  turned  over  occasion- 
ally until  dry,  when  they  are  put  away  in  boxes,  mixed 
with  sand  very  slightly  moist.  A layer  of  sand  is  spread 
in  the  bottom  of  the  box,  then  a thin  layer  of  the  stones, 
next  a layer  of  sand,  and  so  on  till  the  box  is  full.  The 
boxes  are  secured  against  vermin,  and  put  away  in  a cool, 
dry  place,  until  needed  for  planting.  If  not  planted  in  the 
fall,  they  may  be  wintered  in  a cellar,  or  out  of  doors, 
protected  from  rain  by  boards  or  other  covering. 

When  to  Plant. — If  circumstances  were  favorable,  all 
seeds  would  be  better  planted  in  the  fall,  or  immediately 
after  their  maturity.  Nature,  in  her  course,  indicates  this 
to  be  a general  law  ; but  in  cultivation  this  must  depend 
on  circumstances.  The  ground  may  not  be  in  readiness. 
It  may  be  so  wet  and  heavy,  that  seeds  would  be  so  satu- 
rated with  moisture  during  the  winter  as  to  lose  their 
vitality;  or  the  ground  might  become  so  beaten  down 
and  compact  with  fall,  winter,  and  early  spring  rains,  as 
to  make  it  almost  impossible  for  the  young  plants  to  make 
their  way  through  it.  All  these  things  are  to  be  con- 
sidered in  deciding  the  proper  time  to  sow  seeds.  If  the 
soil  be  very  light  and  porous,  cherry  seeds  may  be  sown 
as  soon  as  gathered;  if  the  contrary,  it  should  be 
deferred  till  spring : but  they  germinate  early  and  at  a 
low  temperature,  so  that  it  is  necessary  to  keep  them 
pretty  dry  and  cool,  and  get  them  into  the  ground  at  the 
earliest  practicable  moment.  We  find  it  quite  difficult  to 


PROPAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


117 


keep  tliem  properly,  and  yet  prevent  them  from  germinat- 
ing before  the  ground  is  dry  enough  to  receive  them. 

IIow  to  Plant, — For  cherry  seeds  the  ground  should  be 
liglit,^  in  a good  fertile  state,  but  not  strongly  manured. 
The  seeds  are  sown  in  drills  as  recommended  for  apple 
and  pear  seeds,  and  so  thin  as  to  give  each  plant  space  to 
grow  in  without  being  crowded  by  others.  In  this  way, 
a.id  with  clean  summer  culture,  the  stocks  will  all  be 
large  enough  at  the  end  of  the  first  season’s  growth,  to  be 
taken  up  and  prepared  for  planting  in  nursery  rows  the 
following  spring. 

The  Mahals  (Cerasus  mahaleb)  is  a small  tree  with 
glossy,  deep  green  foliage.  The  fruit  is  black,  about  the 
size  of  a marrow-fat  pea,  and  quite  bitter.  It  blossoms  and 
bears  fruit  when  about  three  years  old.  It  is  considerably 
cultivated  in  many  parts  of  Europe,  as  an  ornamental 
lawn  tree.  There  are  very  few  bearing  trees  in  this 
country  yet ; consequently  nearly  all  the  stocks  used  are 
imported,  or  grown  from  imported  seeds. 

The  seeds  are  prepared,  saved,  sown,  and  managed  in 
all  respects  similar  to  the  mazzards,  and  are  fit  for  trans- 
ferring to  the  nursery  rows  at  the  end  of  the  first  season’s 
growth.  * 

The  common  red  pie  cherry  and  the  small  morello  make 
very  good  stocks  for  dwarf  trees  of  the  duke  and  morello 
classes ; but  the  hearts  and  Bigarreaus  do  not  take  on 
them.  These  are  raised  from  seed  in  the  same  way  as  the 
mazzards  and  mahalebs.  It  may  be  added,  however,  as  a 
warning,  that  buds  are  more  liable  to  fail  on  them  than 
on  the  mahaleb. 

4th.  StocTcs  for  the  Peach. — ^As  a general  thing  the 
peach  is  worked  on  its  own  stocks  in  this  country.  The 
stones  should  be  placed  in  a state  of  stratification  during 
the  winter,  placed  in  boxes  with  alternate  layers  of  sand 
or  light  earth,  and  be  kept  in  a situation  exposed  to  the 


118 


THE  NURSERY. 


frost ; unless  this  is  done  they  will  not  germinate  the  fol- 
lowing spring ; they  require  more  moisture  and  exposure 
to  open  their  hard  shells,  and  induce  germination,  than  any 
other  fruit  seeds.  They  should  he  examined  a week  or 
two  before  planting  time,  and  if  they  exhibit  no  signs  of  ve- 
getation more  moisture  should  be  given  them ; if  they  have 
been  kept  dry  for  a month  or  two  before  being  stratified, 
they  may  require  to  be  cracked.  This  is  done  by  placing 
the  edge  of  the  stone  on  a wooden  block  and  striking  with 
a mallet ; when  cracked  they  may  be  milled  with  moist 
earth  and  germinated  in  a warm  place.  The  growth  of 
every  one  so  germinated  can  be  depended  on,  and  the 
rows  will  be  regular.  As  the  seeds  are  planted  where 
the  trees  remain  until  transferred  to  the  garden  or  orchard, 
it  is  a very  good  plan  to  nip  off  the  point  of  the  young  root 
protruded  from  the  seed ; this  makes  it  ramify,  so  that 
when  taken  up  the  trees  have  fine  branched  and  fibrous 
roots  instead  of  long  tap  roots,  as  is  very  generally  the 
case. 

Planting, — ^The  seeds  should  be  put  into  the  ground  as 
soon  in  the  spring  as  it  is  in  a fit  state  to  be  worked.  A 
line  is  stretched,  and  holes  made  with  a dibble  to  receive 
the  seed ; it  should  be  put  in  with  the  root  downwards, 
and  be  covered  not  over  one  fourth  of  an  inch  deep. 

Plum  Stocks  are  used  for  the  peach  in  soils  of  a stiflT, 
adhesive  character,  in  which  the  peach  does  not  succeed. 
In  England  the  peach  is  worked  almost  exclusively  on  the 
plum,  as  it  suits  their  moist  climate  and  soil  better.  In 
France  the  hard  shell  almond  is  used  almost  exclusively 
on  dry,^  and  the  plum  on  damp  soils.  Almond  stocks  are 
raised  in  the  same  way  as  the  peach. 

Dwarf  Peach  Trees  are  produced  by  working  on  the 
same  stocks  recommended  for  dwarfing  the  plum.  Some 
time  ago  a French  journal  gave  a very  interesting  account 
of  experiments  made  in  dwarfing  the  peach  and  jdum  , by 


I»ROPAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


119 


a Dr.  Bretonneau  of  Tours,  France.  He  had  succeeded 
in  producing  very  pretty  dwarf  plums  and  peach  trees  on 
a dwarf  plum  indigenous  to  this  country  {Prunus  jpumila) 
He  exhibited  beautiful  prolific  dwarf  trees  of  the  green 
^age  plum  on  the  sloe,  and  was  making  farther  experi- 
ments with  the  dwarf  almond  as  a stock  for  peaches. 
These  subjects  are  all  worthy  of  attention;  we  have  many 
experiments  of  this  kind  under  way,  but  it  is  yet  too  soon 
o communicate  the  results.  The  art  of  growing  a large 
3ollection  of  fruits  on  a small  spot  of  ground  is  of  great 
importance  to  curious  and  tasteful  people  living  in  towns 
and  villages. 

^ Stocks  for  the  Apricot  and  Necta/rine, — ^Every  thing 
that  has  been  said  of  peach  stocks,  applies  with  equal 
force  and  propriety  to  these  two  trees. 

5.  Stocks  for  the  Plum, — It  is  not  a little  diflBcult  in 
this  country  to  get  good  plum  stocks.  If  seeds  be  taken 
promiscuously  from  any  variety  that  is  to  be  had,  as  is 
done  with  most  other  trees,  the  probability  is,  that  of  the 
seedlings  not  one  in  500  will  be  suitable  for  a stock.  1 
have  seen  bushels  of  seeds  planted  that  were  said  to  have 
been  collected  from  strong  growing  trees,  but  out  of  the 
tens  of  thousands  of  seedlings  produced  from  them,  not 
100  were  ever  worked,  or  fit  to  be.  It  is  not  only  neces- 
sary to  obtain  seeds  from  vigorous  growing  trees,  but  from 
a species  or  variety  that  reproduces  itself  from  seed.  This 
is  the  point. 

The  Horse  Plum,^  an  oval,  purple,  free-stone  sort,  with 
vigorous  downy  shoots,  reproduces  itself  from  seed,  and 
makes  good  stocks.  On  a suitable,  well-prepared  soil,  its 
seedlings  often  attain  two  feet  or  more  in  height  in  one 
season,  and  are  then  fit  for  the  nursery  rows.  They  require 
a rich,  substantial  soil,  prepared  as  recommended  for  pear 
seeds.  Other  vigorous  sorts  have  been  recommended  in 
various  parts  of  the  country,  but  on  trial  they  have  been 


120 


THE  ISrCJRSERY. 


found  quite  inferior  to  the  horse  plum,  and  as  a general 
thing  worthless. 

The  Canada  or  Wild  Plum^  which  abounds  in  Ohio, 
Michigan,  and  other  western  States,  are  distinct  species, 
and  reproduce  themselves  from  seed.  The  seedlings  oi 
some  grow  extremely  rapid,  making  fine  stocks  in  , one 
year  on  any  good  soil.  They  continue  in  a thrifty,  growing 
state  until  late  in  the  autumn  ; but  they  should  not  be 
worked  above  the  ground  in  the  usual  way,  as  their  growth 
does  not  keep  pace  with  the  species  to  which  most  of  our 
cultivated  sorts  belong.  ITie  best  way  to  manage  them  is 
to  take  the  yearling  seedlings,  whip-graft  them  on  the 
collar,  and  set  them  out  at  once  in  the  nursery  rows  ; they 
will  make  good  trees  for  planting  out  in  three  years. 
The  stock  is  all  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  in 
time  the  graft  sends  out  roots  and  becomes  in  a great  mea- 
sure independent  of  the  stock.  Where  the  seedlings  are 
not  large  enough  for  grafting  the  first  season,  they  may  be 
set  out  in  the  nursery  and  allowed  to  grow  one  season,  and 
then  the  earth  can  be  removed  from  the  collar  until  the 
graft  be  inserted,  and  then  drawn  up.  To  procure  strong 
stocks  for  standard  trees  of  weak  growing  sorts,  like  the 
Green  Gage^  such  thrifty  varieties  as  the  Imperial  Gage 
and  Smith} s Orleans  may  be  grafted  on  this  native  species, 
and  in  two  or  three  years  they  will  make  stocks  strong 
enough  for  any  purpose.  Tlie  French  use  several  natural 
species  that  are  produced  from  seed — the  St  Julien^ 
large  and  small  (Brussels  of  the  English),  and  the  l)amas 
noir^  large  and  small.  The  first  is  generally  used  for  stocks 
for  apricots  and  peaches  as  well  as  plums.  We  find  none 
of  these  superior  in  vigor  to  the  horse  plum,  but  they  are 
worked  more  successfully.  In  England,  the  Brussels^ 
Brompton^  and  Muscle  stocks  are  used,  propagated  from 
both  seeds  and  layers.  For  small  sized  garden  t/rees^ 
either  dwarf  standards  or  pyramids,  the  cherry  p^um 


PROPAGATION  OF  STOCKS. 


121 


ii.akes  a very  good  stock.  It  is  probably  the  same  as  used 
by  the  French  under  the  names  of  Cericette”  and  Myro- 
balan.”  Several  of  our  authors  and  even  some  English 
^v  liters  say  that  the  Mirdbelle  is  the  stock  used  for  dwarf- 
iiig  ^ and  ajpricot^  but  it  seems  probable  that 

tliey  are  mistaken.  In  France  the  cericette  or  cherry 
plum  is  used,  and  stocks  sent  us  from  England  as  Mira- 
belle,  are  but  the  cherry. 

How  the  mistake  could  be  made  is  difficult  to  say,  for 
the  two  trees  are  as  different  in  habit,  foliage,  wood  and 
fruit,  as  they  can  be.  The  cherry  plum  is  a very  low  tree 
with  bushy,  erect  branches,  very  straight,  slender,  willow- 
like,  reddish  shoots,  exceedingly  small  leaves  and  buds, 
and  smooth  bark.  The  MirabeUe  is  also  a low  tree,  but 
much  more  spreading  than  the  other ; the  shoots  are 
stouter,  of  a gray  color  and  downy,  with  rather  prominent 
buds  for  so  small  shoots.  It  ripens  in  September,  and  the 
cherry  a month  sooner. 

The  cherry  plum  is  a natural  species,  and  can  there- 
fore be  produced  true  from  seed.  It  maintains  a vigorous 
growth  all  summer,  and  may  be  worked  in  duly,  August, 
or  September.  It  may  also  be  propagated  from  layers. 

The  Sloe  is  also  used  to  some  extent  where  very  small 
trees  are  wanted,  and  we  have  no  doubt  some  native  spe- 
cies, as  for  instance  the  Beach  and  Chicasaw  plums,  small 
trees,  will  make  good  dwarf  stocks.  I am  inclined  to 
think,  however,  that  very  nice  garden  trees  may  be  raised 
on  the  smaller  species  of  the  Canada  Plum.  The  first 
year’s  growth  and  even  the  second  are  quite  vigorous  on, 
them,  but  after  that  the  vigor  diminishes,  and  the  trees- 
I become  quite  prolific.  This  and  the  cherry  plum  will 
i probably  become  our  principal  stocks  for  dwarfing. 

Plums  for  seeds  should  ripen  well  on  the  tree  ; they  are* 
then  gathered,  the  pulp  washed  off,  and  the  seeds  dried 
I and  put  away  in  boxes  of  sand  in  alternate  layers, 

t '6 


122 


THE  NURSEKY 


recommended  for  cherries.  They  may  be  saved  in  fall  oi 
spring  as  circumstances  already  mentioned  will  admit. 

Nearly  all  plums  used  for  stocks  may  be  propagated  by 
layers.  Motlier  plants  or  stools  are  planted  out  and  cut 
back  as  recommended  for  paradise,  &c. ; the  shoots  of  the 
previous  season’s  growth  are  pegged  down  in  the  spring 
flat,  and  two  inches  of  earth  drawn  over  them.  Every 
bud  on  these  layers  will  produce  a shoot  that,  generally^ 
will  be  well  enough  rooted  in  the  fall  to  be  separated  from 
the  stool  and  j^lanted  out  into  nursery  rows  the  following 
spring.  These  layered  shoots  are  cut  off  close  to  the  old 
plant,  and  the  upright  shoots  produced  during  the  previ- 
ous season  may  l)e  again  pegged  down. 

The  stools  or  mother  plants  managed  in  this  way  require 
the  best  treatment  to  maintain  their  vigor,  that  a supply 
of  strong  shoots  may  be  produced  every  season  fit  to  lay 
down  in  the  spring.  Weak,  slender  shoots,  unfit  to  layer, 
should  be  cut  out  early  in  the  season  to  aid  the  growth  of 
those  intended  for  use.  This  usually  goes  bj  the  name  of 
Chinese  Layering. 

Section  3. — ^Transplanting-  Stocks. 

• 

This  comprehends  three  separate  operations,  talcing 
dressing  ore  pmming^  and  replanting  • but  before  touching 
on  the  detail  of  these  operations,  it  may  be  well  to  con- 
sider 

1st.  The  age  at  which  Stoclcs  should  he  transplanted, — 
On  this  point  there  seems  to  be  a diversity  of  opinion,  not 
only  among  book  writers  but  practical  cultivators.  The 
very  general  opinion,  and  one  that  is  most  acted  upon,  is, 
that  they  should  remain  where  they  have  been  propagated 
until  they  are  large  enough  to  be  worked ; a great  many 
plans  are  therefore  suggested  for  wintering  seedlings,  and 
especially  the  pear.  The  experience  of  the  best  culth 


TRANSPLANTING  STOCKS. 


123 


vaiurs  trerj  where  is  that  seedling  stocks  especially,  of 
all  soiTS,  should  be  transplanted  when  one  year  old.  It 
may  be  urged  i^gainst  this,  that  some'  seedlings  are  so 
small  when  one  year  old,  as  not  to  be  worth  transplanting; 
so  feeble,  that  more  care  and  culture  would  be  required 
before  they  could  be  worked  than  they  are  worth.  In  re- 
ply, it  can  only  be  said  that  such  feeble  productions  are 
only  fit  to  be  thrown  away.^  because  the  seeds  must  have 
been  defective,  or  the  soil  and  culture  bad;  and  stocks 
raised  from  poor  seeds,  or  stunted  by  bad  soil  and  culture^ 
will  never  make  sound,  healthy,  viv.uous,  or  long  lived 
trees. 

When  seedlings  remain  longer  than  oilC  year  in  the  seed 
bed,  they  grow  up  slender  and  weak ; out  more  vigorous 
than  its  neighbors  will  ruin  all  around  ut,  then  the  roots 
do  not  ramity,  but  continue  to  lengthen  Mithout  forming 
laterals  or  fibres,  and  when  removed  and  reduced  to  the 
necessary  dimensions  they  receive  a seveie  check;  but  at 
one  year  the  check  is  very  light,  they  at  r>nce  form  lateral 
roots,  and  instead  of  being  drawn  up  tall  and  slender,  they 
become  stout  and  well  proportioned.  The  best  pear  grow- 
ers in  Europe,  and  even  in  this  country,  would  scarcely 
take  as  a gift  two  year  seedling  pears  from  the  seed  bed, 
unless  in  case  of  absolute  necessity. 

The  proper  plan  is  to  take  up  all  seedling  stoclts^  and  all 
layers.^  sufficiently  rooted  to  bear  separation  from  the  st  ool, 
and  all  cuttings  that  stand  close,  at  one  year  old^  and  sort 
and  arrange  in  separate  classes,  in  this  wny : in  one  class 
put  the  strongest,  those  fit  for  immediate  use,  either  to  be 
grafted  on  the  root,  or  budded  the  summer  following  ; in 
another  class,  put  such  as  may  require  to  stand  one  year 
in  the  nursery  rows  to  be  fit  for  working;  and  in  the  third 
class,  such  as  are  too  weak  to  be  put  in  the  nursery  rows, 

* The  sloe  (Prunus  spinosa) , or  any  such  slow  growing  thing* 

cepted. 


124 


THE  NURSERY. 


Iml  will  require  to  be  “ bedded  out,”  that  is,  set  closely 
in  beds  by  themselves,  where  they  can  remain  for  one  or 
two  years,  until  they  are  large  and  strong  enough  for  root 
grafting,  or  for  the  nursery  rows.  Unless  in  the  case  of 
stocks  scarce  and  difficult  to  procure,  this  third  class  had 
better  be  thrown  away  at  once,  as  it  will  cost  as  much  tc 
nurse  them  as  to  raise  fine  stocks  from  the  seed. 

2d.  Time  to  take  up.' — There  is  but  one  proper  time  tc 
take  up  all  seedlings  and  rooted  layers  for  stocks,  and  thal 
is  the  fall,  and  this  for  several  reasons.  The  first  is,  they 
are  all  liable  to  injury  by  the  frosts  of  winter ; seedling? 
have  no  side  roots  to  hold  them  in  the  ground,  and  layer? 
are  near  the  surface,  so  that  the  freezing  and  thawing 
draws  them  up  ; the  roots  are  thus  exposed  and  seriously 
injured.  The  second  is,  they  can  be  dressed  during  the 
winter  in  the  cellar,  and  be  ready  for  planting  in  spring. 
When  taken  up  they  can  be  laid  closely  in  by  the  roots 
in  the  soil  in  a dry  place,  and  covered  over  so  as  to 
exclude  frost.  When  outdoor  work  is  over,  they  can  be 
uncovered,  taken  into  the  cellar  and  dressed,  and  laid  in 
again  by  the  roots  carefully  in  the  same  place,  which 
should  be  protected  from  frost,  of  course,  in  the  mean 
time.  The  third  reason  is,  that  when  seedlings  are  taken 
up  in  the  fall,  the  ground  can  be  prepared  for  another 
crop;  and  this  is  of  considerable  importance.  In  the 
case  of  layers,  the  stools  or  mother  plants  can  be  manured, 
dressed,  and  put  in  order  for  another  season’s  growth ; 
and  this,  also,  is  important.  Such  are  some  of  the  advan- 
tages, or,  in  fact,  the  necessities  of  taking  up  stocks  in  the 
fall. 

3d.  How  to  take  up. — Seedlings  are  very  easily  taken 
up,  without  in  the  least  mutilating  the  roots,  in  two 
ways.  If  one  person  do  the  work,  he  should  begin  at 
one  end  of  the  row,  and  with  a common  spade,  or,  which 
is  better,  one  with  three  strong  prongs,  a foot  long  and 


TRANSPLANTING  STOCKS. 


125 


an  inch  and  a half  wide ; dig  under  the  plants  without 
cutting  the  roots,  and  as  fast  as  they  are  loosened  below, 
pull  them  out,  and  in  this  way  proceed.  Another  and 
quicker  way  is,  for  two  men  to  loosen  the  plants,  each  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  row,  inserting  a forked  spade  as 
deep  as  the  roots  go,  while  another  follows,  and  pulls  out 
the  plants.  When  the  ground  is  quite  soft,  this  wslj 
answers  very  well ; but  if  dry  or  hard,  the  first  is  better. 

Layers  require  more  care  and  caution.  A trench  must 
be  opened  all  around  the  layered  branches  deep  enough 
to  go  quite  below  the  roots,  and  in  an  oblique  manner,  so 
as  to  undermine  them.  Where  the  branches  are  pegged 
down,  the  pegs  must  be  taken  out,  and  the  layer  is  then 
separated  between  the  rooted  part  and  the  stool,  and 
gently  taken  from  the  earth.  Especial  care  must  be  taken 
not  to  split  those  that  have  been  layered  by  incision;, 
their  removal  must  be  done  slowly  and  cautiously. 

Mound  Layers  are  easier  separated  ; the  earth  is  simply 
removed  from  the  base  of  the  rooted  branches,  and  they 
are  then  separated  within  an  inch  or  so  of  the  stem. 

Layered  Branches  or  Chinese  Layers. — When  the  young 
rooted  plants  are  produced  from  the  eyes  of  a buried 
shoot  or  branch,  the  pegs  are  removed,  the  whole  branch 
dug  under,  completely  loosened  and  separated  from  the 
stool ; the  young  plants  are  then  taken  oflf  one  by  one 
close  to  their  base. 

4th.  Pruning  or  Dressing  Stocics. — The  objects  in  view 
always  in  performing  this  operation  are,  to  remove  in- 
jured or  broken  roots,  to  reduce  the  tap  root  that  it  may 
produce  laterals,  to  reduce  the  stems  to  a proper  propor- 
tion with  the  roots,  and  put  them  in  a condition  that  will 
ensure  a vigorous  growth. 

Seedlings  taken  from  the  seed  bed,  have  always  a long 
tap  root,  with  few  or  no  laterals ; and  as  trees  with  such 
roots  are  unfit  for  safe  transplantation,  it  is  necessary  to 


126 


THE  NUliSERY. 


take  measures  to  change  their  character.  We,  therefore, 
remove  the  small  tapering  portion  of  the  root,  as  at  fig 
84,  A y and  this  ensures  the  production  of  lateral  or 
spreading  roots  near  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The 

pear  roots  espe 
cially  are  inclined 
more  to  descend  in 
a straight  line  than 
to  spread ; and  un- 
less they  are  well 
cut  back  when 
young,  they  are 
always  difficult  to 
transplant  safely 
afterwards.  Roots 
that  descend  like 
the  prongs  of  a 
fork,  are  usually 
destitute  of  fibres ; 
whilst  those  that 
spread  out  hori- 
zontally, or  near 
the  surface,  are 
well  furnished  with 
fibres,  that  not 
only  make  trees 
easily  transplant- 

84,  a seedling  stock,  one  year’s  growth,  as  it  ^ i*  4.  • i*  1 4. 
comes  from  the  seed  bed.  The  line  at  shows  the  ©Cl,  DUt  inClllieCl  tO 
shortening  of  the  tap  root.  That  at  B,  the  shortening  0^p|y  fruitfulneSS. 
of  the  stem  before  replanting.  85,  a quince  cutting  ; , 

the  cross  lines  on  the  stem  and  roots  indicate  the  prun-  4lllS  OpCiatlOIl  On 
ing  before  replanting.  tllC  rOOtS,  it  is  ob- 

vious,  destroys  the  natural  balance  or  proportion  that  ex- 
isted between  them  and  the  tops.  Hence  the  necessity 
for  shortening  the  stem  in  a corresponding  manner.  But 
^ven  if  the  roots  were  not  shortened,  the  stems  should  ba 


TRANSPLANTING  STOCKS. 


127 


« 1 order  to  obtain  a vigorous  growth.  The  very  removal 
of  the  plant  lessens  the  power  of  the  roots  to  absorb  and 
convey  nutriment ; and  on  this  account,  if  no  other,  the 
stem  should  be  reduced  by  way  of  regulating  the  supply 
and  demand.  We  sometimes  see  young  stocks  planted 
out  without  any  shortening  of  the  stem ; and  the  result 
is,  they  scarcely  make  any  growth  the  first  season — the 
roots  are  barely  able  to  absorb  enough  to  keep  them  alive. 
If  one  half  the  stem  had  been  cut  away,  the  remaining 
buds  w^ould  have  received  such  a supply  of  food  as  woula 
have  produced  a vigorous  growth.  It  is  a pretty  good 
rule,  therefore,  to  reduce  the  stems  of  seedlings  one  third 
to  one  half^  as  at  B fig.  84 ; but  there  are  exceptions 
to  this.  For  instance,  a stock  with  a very  large  and 
strong  root,  and  a short,  stout,  close-jointed  stem,  well 
matured  and  furnished  with  plump,  prominent  buds^ 
requires  very  little,  if  any  shortening  of  the  stem ; and 
again,  others  are  just  the  reverse,  tall,  slender,  and 
feeble,  having  been  suffocated  in  the  seed  bed.  Such  as 
these  require  to  be  shortened  more  than  half^  perhaps 
two  thirds. 

Layers  or  Cuttings  (fig.  85)  are  in  a different  situation 
from  seedlings,  and  require,  therefore,  different  treatment. 
They  have  no  tap  roots,  but  masses  of  fibres  ; and  these 
fibres,  if  they  are  preserved  fresh  and  sound  till  replanted, 
need  no  shortening ; but  if  destroyed  by  exposure,  they 
should  be  cut  off,  to  make  way  for  new  ones.  The  short- 
ening of  the  stems  depends  entirely  on  the  size  and  con- 
dition of  the  roots.  If  well  rooted,  and  the  roots  be  in 
good  condition,  they  may  be  left  a foot  long ; if  poorly 
rooted  they  should  be  cut  back  to  six  or  eight  inches. 
This  applies  equally  to  the  layers  of  the  qidnce,^  jya/radise. 
Doucain,^  jylums,^  etc. 

5th.  Planting  stochs  in  the  nursery  rows  where  they 
are  to  he  oudded. — ^The  first  consideration  which  this 


128 


THE  NURSEKY. 


operation  suggests,  is  the  condition  of  the  soil.  Under 
the  head  of  soils,  sufficient  has  been  said  respecting  the 
modes  of  dee^ening.^  draining.^  and  enriching  ; and  it  is 
only  necessary  to  say  here,  that  wliere  stocks  are  planted, 
the  soil  should  be  at  once  dee^.^  dry.^  and  rich  / for  no 
such  thing  as  sound  vigorous  fruit  trees  can  be  raised  on 
a poor,  shallow,  or  wet  soil.  The  various  means  of  im 
provement  have  been  already  pointed  out  and  explained. 
It  may,  however,  be  well  to  remark  that  ground  may  be 
too  rich.^  and  induce  a rank,  watery  growth,  that  would 
either  result  in  death  at  the  final  transplanting  into  the 
garden  or  orchard,  or  in  a very  feeble  and  sickly  growth 
after  it.  We  see  frequent  illustrations  of  this  in  the  case 
of  trees  raised  in  old,  worn  out  nurseries,  where  rapid 
growth  has  been  forced  by  powerfully-stimulating  ma- 
nures. These  rank,  pithy,  soft  productions,  are  very 
'attractive  to  the  eye  ; but  they  sufier  so  much  by  removal, 
no  matter  how  well  treated,  that  they  seldom  fail  to  dis 
appoint  the  planter.  This  thing  should,  therefore,  b( 
guarded  against.  Manures  used  should  be  well  decom- 
posed, and  incorporated  with  the  soil,  if  possible  the 
autumn  before  planting.  A tree  is  not  like  a cabbage  or 
a lettuce.  The  tenderness  and  succulency  of  these  con- 
stitute their  great  merit ; but  the  wood  of  a tree  must  bo 
firm.^  short-jointed.^  and  mature.^  and  these  requisites  are 
always  attained  by  a moderate  and  natural,  not  a forced 
growth. 

Planting  each  species  in  the  soil  l)est  adapLd  to  it. — 
Where  there  are  different  characters  of  soils  in  a nursery, 
to  be  planted  with  a general  assortment  of  stocks,  it  is  im 
portant  to  give  to  each  that  which  is  best  adapted  to  its 
nature ; thus  the  pear,  apple,  and  plum  should  have  the 
richer,  deeper,  and  more  compact,  or  that  wfith  most  clay. 
The  plum  in  particular  succeeds  well  on  a pretty  stiff  clay 
The  cherry  and  peach  should  have  the  lijfxhtest  and  warmest 


TRANSPI.AI^TING  STOCKS. 


129 


riie  quince^  tlie  paradise^  and  Domain^  do  not  require 
such  a deep  soil  as  the  pear  and  the  common  apple  seed- 
lings, because  their  roots  are  fibrous  and  always  remain 
near  the  surface;  but  it  must  not  be  inferred  from  t Js 
that  a shallow  soil  suits  these  best. 

6th.  When  to  Plant, — In  parts  of  the  country  where 
the  winter  is  long  and  severe,  or  where  freezing  and  thaw- 
ing are  frequent,  fall  planting  cannot  be  successful,  as  the 
plants,  having  no  hold  of  the  ground,  are  drawn  out  and 
injured ; and  besides,  if  the  ground  is  somewhat  clayey 
and  tenacious,  the  heavy  rains  that  occur  early  in  the 
spring  will  make  it  so  compact  that  air  will  not  penetrate 
it,  and  the  young  roots  will  foim  slowly  and  feebly. 
When  neither  of  these  difficulties  is  to  be  feared,  fall 
planting  is  decidedly  preferable.  Spring  planting  should 
be  done  at  the  earliest  moment  the  condition  of  the  ground 
will  admit,  which  is,  when  dry  enough  to  crumble  into 
fine  particles  when  turned  over  wfith  the  spade. 

^ th.  Distance  to  Plant, — W e are  all  in  the  habit  of  plant- 
ing quite  too  closely  in  the  nursery ; the  consequence  is  that 
the  trees  are  not  well  proportioned.  As  a general  thing, 
the  standards  are  in  many  cases  as  large  six  feet  from 
the  ground  as  at  the  collar,  weak  and  top  heavy,  so  that 
sticks  have  to  be  used  to  support  them,  even  when  four 
years  old.  Not  long  ago  I observed  in  a nursery  which 
has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best  managed  in 
this  country,  whole  squares,  some  thousands  of  fom’  year 
old  apple  trees,  of  all  kinds,  tied  up  to  sticks ; they  were 
not  able  to  support  their  own  weight.  One  reason,  and  the 
principal  one,  was,  they  were  planted  too  close,^  the  other 
will  be  spoken  of  presently.  Pyramidal  trees  are  out  of 
the  question  where  suqh  close  planting  is  practised,  the 
growth  is  always  forced  to  the  top.  Nature  gj^es  us 
numerous  and  striking  illustrations  of  the  effect  of  close 
planting.  We  see  in  a natural  group  or  thicket  trees 
6* 


130 


THE  NURSEEY. 


running  up  forty  or  fifty  feet  of  an  equal  diameter,  and 
without  a branch ; and  if  one  such  tree  were  left  exposed, 
by  the  removal  of  those  around  it,  the  first  high  wind 
w’-ould  blow  it  down.  On  the  outskirts  of  this  group  or 
thicket,  or  perhaps  completely  isolated,  in  the  centre  of  a 
field,  we  see  another  tree  of  the  same  species,  branched 
almost  from  the  ground,  and  with  a diameter  at  the  base 
twice  as  great  as  at  half  its  height,  and  tapering  upward 
with  beautiful  regularity,  and  capable  of  resisting  a hur- 
ricane. To  raise  stout,  well-proportioned  trees,  we  must 
give  them  plenty  of  room,  that  they  may  have  the  advan- 
tage of  air  all  around^  and  not  only  at  the  top. 

There  is  scarcely  a nursery  to  be  found  in  which 
the  trees  are  not  grown  too  close — three  or  four  on  the 
space  that  one  should  occupy.  There  is  to  be  sure  great 
economy  in  close  planting,  for  five  hundred  trees  can  be 
grown  on  the  space  that  one  should  occupy,  and  with 
nearly  as  little  labor;  but  it  would  really  be  better  for 
people  to  pay  twice  or  three  times  as  much  for  their  trees 
if  grown  so  far  apart  that  the  air  and  light  would  have 
free  access  to  them  in  all  parts,  and  give  them  stout,  well- 
proportioned  forms.  A reform  in  this  respect  is  much 
needed,  but  it  cannot  be  expected  until  purchasers  become 
discriminating  and  intelligent  on  the  subject. 

The  distance  at  which  stocks  should  be  planted  in  the 
nursery  rows  is  governed  entirely  by  circumstances.  If 
it  be  intended  to  use  a cultivator  between  the  rows,  they 
should  not  be  less  than  three  cmd  a half  feet  apart.  If 
spade  and  hoe  culture  be  intended,  two  and  a half  to 
three  feet  will  be  sufficient.  Where  the  trees  are  to  be 
removed  at  the  age  of  one  year,  one  foot  apart  in  the  rows 
is  sufficient ; but  if  they  are  to  remain  until  two,  three  or 
four  j^ars  they  should  be  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet.  If 
removed  at  two  years,  eighteen  inches  is  enougli ; but 
where  standards  remain  three  Dr  four  years,  until  they 


TRANSPLANTING  STOCKS. 


131 


have  heads  formed,  and  pyramids  remain  until  they  have 
formed  two  or  three  tiers  of  lateral  branches,  two  feet  or 
two  and  a half  is  little  enough.  Indeed,  when  pyramids 
remain  for  three  years,  there  should  be  a clear  space 
three  feet  on  all  sides. 

Dimrf  standards  req^uire  less  space  than  full  stand- 
ards, and  dAvarf  bushes  still  less.  The  stocks  intended  for 
these  different  classes  of  trees  should  be  planted  sepa- 
rately. In  sorting  the  stocks  at  the  time  of  dressing,  the 
largest  should  be  used  for  full  standards  and  the  smaller 


for  low  or  dwarf  standards. 

8.  Mode  of  Planting. — The  square  or  plot  of  ground 
for  each  class  of  stocks  being  ready,  a line  is  stretched 
along  one  side  and  a trench  opened  wdth  the  spade,  deep 
and  wide  enough  to  hold  the  roots ; the  plant  is  then  held 
against  the  side  of  the  trench  next  the  line,  by  one  man, 
whilst  the  earth  is  filled  in  by  another ; when  about  half 
the  earth  is  in,  it  is  trodden  down  pretty  firmly  by  the 
foot,  and  the  remainder  filled  in.  As  buds  are  usually 
inserted  on  the  north  side  of  the  stocks  they  should  incline 
slightly  to  the  south.  Good  pulverized  surface  soil  should 
always  be  put  upon  the  roots,  to  induce  the  immediate  for- 
mation of  young  fibres.  During  the  planting,  the  roots 
must  be  carefully  guarded  from  exposure.  A 
should  be  taken  out  of  the  ground  at  a time. 

When  there  are  but  few  fibrous  roots,  puddling 
in  thin  mud  is  useful,  otherwise  not. 

Planting  Root  Grafts. — ^The  quickest  mode 
of  planting  small  root  grafts  is  to  stretch  a line 
along  the  ground  to  be  planted,  and  with  a 
dibble  'make  the  holes  and  press  the  earth 
in  around  the  plants.  This  dibble  should 
be  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  long,  about 
two  inches  in  diameter,  pointed  and  shod 
with  iron — fig.  86  represents  one  made  of 


132 


TIIE  NURSERY. 


the  handle  of  a spa'de.  One  person  will  plant  as  many 
in  this  way  as  four  could  by  opening  trenches  with 
spades.  But  where  the  plants  are  dibbled  in,  the  ground 
mnst  be  in  the  best  condition,  perfectly  dry  and  finely 
pulverized. 

Treatment  of  Stocks  after  Planting, — ^The  principal 
care  which  stocks  require  between  the  time  they  are 
planted  and  the  time  they  are  budded,  is  to  keep  the 
ground  about  them  clean  of  weeds,  and  in  a friable, 
porous  condition  on  the  surface  by  frequent  stirring.  The 
success  of  budding  depends  in  a great  measure  on  the 
condition  of  the  stocks.  They  must  he  in  a thrifty,  grow- 
ing state,  and  this  can  only  be  obtained  with  good  treat- 
ment. Having  now  considered,  in  as  much  detail  as 
seems  necessary,  the  propagation  and  transplanting  of 
stocks  into  the  nursery  rows,  we  proceed  with 

Section  4. — ^The  Budding,.  Grafting,  and  Management  of 
Trees  in  the  Nursery. 

The  simplest  and  clearest  method  of  treating  this  part 
of  the  subject  seems  to  be,  that  of  considering  separately 
each  year’s  operations  in  succession. 

The  First  Year. — Strong  yearling  seedlings  of  the 
a/pfle,^jpear,^  cherry,^  and  say  one  fourth  of  an  inch  and 

upwards  in  diameter,  and  well  rooted  layers  of  the  quince^ 
paradise^  and  Doucain,^  of  the  same  size,  planted  in  the 
spring  in  a good  soil,  and  kept  under  good  clean  culture 
will,  as  a general  thing,  be  in  a fit  state  for  budding  in 
July,  August,  or  September  following.  The  budding  may 
therefore  be  considered  as  the  first  season’s  work.  The 
details  of  this  operation  may  be  divided  for  consideration, 
fts  follows : 

1.  Time  for  Budding. — 2.  Prepa/ration  of  the  Stocks. 


BUDDING,  GRAFflNG,  ETC. 


133 


— o.  PrejpaAng  the  Buds, — 4.  Insertion  of  the  Buds. — 5. 
Ontying. 

1st.  The  time  for  budding  each  species  or  class  of  fruits 
depends  upon  its  habits  of  growth.  Such  as  cease  to 
grow  early  in  the  season,  must  be  budded  early,  because 
it  can  only  be  done  while  the  stocks  are  in  a free,  growung 
state,  full  of  sap.  Such  as  grow  until  late  in  the  autumn, 
must  be  budded  late,  otherwise  the  new  layers  of  wood 
formed  after  the  insertion  of  the  bud,  would  grow  over 
and  destroy  it,  or  the  bud  would  be  forced  into  a prema- 
tm’e  growth  towards  autumn,  which  in  fruit  trees  should 
always  be  avoided.  The  common  sorts  of  plum  terminate 
their  growth  early  in  the  season,  and  are  therefore  budded 
early,  whether  with  plums,  peaches,  or  apricots,  at  Ro- 
chester usually  about  the  last  of  July,  or  beginning  of 
August.  The  native  or  Canada  plum,  and  the  cherry  or 
myrobalan,^  grow  freely  till  late  in  the  fall,  and  may  be 
budded  in  the  latter  end  of  August,  or  beginning  of  Sep- 
tember. Pears  on  pear  stocks  are  usually  budded  here  in 
July,  in  anticipation  of  the  leaf  blight  which  stops  their 
growth  when  it  attacks  them.  Where  no  such  thing  as 
this  is  apprehended,  they  should  not  be  budded  before  the 
middle  of  August,  as  the  buds  are  not  generally  mature 
till  that  time.  Apples  on  free  stocks,  and  on  the  paradise 
and  Doucain,  may  be  budded  as  soon  as  the  buds  are  ma- 
ture, which  is  usually,  here,  about  the  first  to  the  middle 
of  August.  Cherries  on  free  mazzard  stocks — as  soon  as 
buds  are  ripe  here,  about  the  first  of  August.  Pea/rs  on 
quince,^  and  cherries  on  mahaleb,^  not  before  the  first  of 
September,  and  from  that  to  the  middle  of  the  month, 
as  the  quince  and  mahaleb  grow  late,  and  especially  the 
latter.  Peach  stocks  should  always  be  budded  the  same 
season  the  seeds  are  planted,  and,  as  they  grow  rapidiy 
until  very  late,  are  not  usually  budded  till  about  the  mid- 
dle of  September.  The  budding  period  varies  in  different 


134: 


THE  NURSERl. 


seasons.  In  a dry,  warm  season,  the  young  wood  matures 
earlier,  and  stocks  cease  to  grow  sooner,  and  are,  there.' 
fore,  budded  earlier  than  in  a cool,  moist  season,  that  pro- 
longs the  growth  of  tlie  stocks,  and  retards  the  maturity 
of  the  buds.  Stocks  growing  feebly  require  to  be  budded 
earlier  than  those  growing  freely.  It  is  necessary  to  keep 
an  eye  to  all  these  points. 

The  destruction  of  insects  must  be  promptly  attended 
to.  An  army  oi  slugs  may  devour  the  foliage  of  the  j)ear 
and  cherry,  and  even  the  plum,  in  a day  or  two,  and  pre- 
vent their  being  worked  that  season.  The  ajpTiis^  too,  fre- 
quently appears  in  such  multitudes  as  to  check  the  growth. 
Dry  lime  or  ashes  thrown  on  the  slugs  will  kill  them,  and 
strong  soap  suds,  or  tobacco  water,  so  strong  as  to  assume 
the  color  of  strong  beer,  will  kill  the  aphis. 

2d.  Preparation  of  the  Stoclcs. — This  consists  in  remov- 
ing such  lateral  shoots  from  the  stock  as  may  be  likely  to 
obstruct  the  insertion  of  the  bud.  Our  practice  is  to  do 
this  at  the  moment  of  budding,  one  person  doing  the 
work  in  advance  of  the  budders.  If  done  a few  days  pre- 
vious, and  several  shoots  are  removed,  it  checks  the 
growth  of  the  stocks,  and  they  do  not  work  so  well.  It 
might  answer  very  well  to  do  it  two  or  three  weeks  pre- 
vious, so  that  they  might  recover  from  the  check  before 
being  budded. 

3d.  Insertion  of  the  Having  treated  so  fully  of 

the  manner  of  preparing  and  inserting  the  buds  in  the 
article  on  budding,  nothing  farther  need  be  said  on  these 
points  here. 

In  free  stocks  the  bud  should  be  inserted  within  three 
or  four  inches  of  the  ground. 

In  some  parts  of  the  west,  Wisconsin,  Illinois,  and  some 
other  places,  certain  rapid,  late-growing,  and  rather  tender 
vwieties  are  liable  to  be  wdnter-killed  if  budded  close  to 
the  ground,  probably  by  the  sudden  thawing  of  that  part 


liUDDING,  GRAFriNG,  ETC. 


135 


caused  by  the  refraction  of  heat  from  the  ground.  In  view 
of  such  a difficulty,  it  may  be  well  enougli  to  bud  Idgh  up, 
but,  as  a general  thing,  low  budding  makes  the  best  trees 
All  dwarf  stocks  should  be  budded  as  close  to  the  surface 
of  the  ground  as  it  is  ])Ossible,  and  even  some  of  the  earth 
may  be  removed  and  put  back  when  the  budding  is  done. 
The  necessity  for  this  lies  in  the  fact  that  all  dwarf  stocks 
should  be  wholly  below  the  ground  when  finally  planted 
out  in  the  garden  or  orchard. 

4th.  Untying  the  Buds, — In  ten  days  or  a fortnight 
after  the  buds  are  inserted,  they  should  be  examined,  and 
such  as  have  failed  may  be  budded  again  if  the  stocks 
continue  to  grow.  In  some  cases  it  may  be  necessary,  and 
particularly  with  cherries,  to  loosen  the  buds  and  tie  them 
over  again,  as  rapid  growth  will  cause  the  string  to  cut 
the  bark  before  the  bud  has  completely  united,  or  is  fit  to 
be  untied.  This  seldom  occurs,  however ; as  a general 
thing,  the  strings  may  be  removed  in  three  weeks  to  a 
month  after  the  budding  ; and  they  should  never  be  left 
on  over  the  winter,  as  moisture  lodges  around  them  to  the 
detriment  of  the  bud.  As  soon  as  the  budding  is  done, 
the  ground  should  be  worked  over  with  the  cultivator  or 
forked  spade.  The  first  season’s  management  of  stocks  too 
small  for  budding  consists  simply  in  keeping  the  soil  clean 
and  mellow,  and  in  guarding  against  the  attacks  of 
insects. 

The  treatment  of  root  grafts  the  first  season  consists  in 
cleaning  and  loosening  the  ground,  the  removal  of  suckers 
from  the  roots  as  fast  as  they  appear,  and  pinching  early 
any  strong  side  shoots  likely  to  weaken  the  leader. 

Second  Year.  — Where  the  buds  failed  the  previous  sea- 
son, the  stocks  should  now  be  whip-grafted  near  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground.  They  will  be  little  behind  the  buds, 
and  will  make  nearly  as  good  trees,  if  neatly  done.  Plums 
and  cherries  must  be  done  before,  or  as  soon  as  the  buds 


136 


THE  NIJRSERY. 


begin  to  swell  (say  in  March  here);  pears  and  a, 
may  be  done  later.  The  second  sized  stocJcs^  planted  Iasi 
season^  and  intended  to  be  budded  this,  should,  if  in  a 
feebly  growing  or  stunted  condition,  be  cut  back  to  within 
two  or  three  inches  of  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This 
will  give  the  roots  new  vigor,  and  thrifty  shoots  will  be 
made  by  budding  time  that  will  work  more  easily  and 
successfully  than  the  old  stock.  In  a month  or  so  after 
being  cut  dowm,  all  the  shoots  but  the  strongest  one  should 
be  removed.  The  stochs  hudded  last  season  are  headed 
down  to  within  three  or  four  inches  of  the  bud,  just  as  the 
leaves  are  beginning  to  appear,  and  all  buds  starting  into 
growth  on  the  stock,  either  below  or  above  them,  rubbed 
off. 

Treatment  of  the  growing  hud  consists  in  keeping  all 
shoots  that  appear  on  the  stock  rubbed  off. 
If  side  shoots  appear  early,  and  are  likely 
to  contract  the  growth  of  the  leader,  they 
should  be  pinched  off.  Any  that  assume  a 
reclining  or  crooked  habit  should  be  tied  up 
to  the  stock,  or  to  a support,  which  may  be 
a wooden  pole  four  feet  long,  sunk  a foot  in 
the  ground  at  the  root  of  the  stock ; both 
the  stock  and  growing  shoot  should  be  fast- 
ened to  it  (fig.  87),  but  not  so  close  as  tc 
impede  the  growth.  This  is  only  necessary 
with  certain  weak,  irregular  growing  sorts. 
In  August  the  portion  of  the  stock  left 
above  the  bud  at  the  I eading  down  in  the 
spring  should  be  removed  with  a sloping 
cut,  close  and  smooth,  as  at  A (fig.  87),  at  the 
highest  point  of  union  between  the  bud  and 
The  new  layers  of  wood  made  after 


Fig.  87. 

A young  budded 
tree  in  its  first  sea- 
son’s growth,  sup- 
ported by  a stake. 

The  line  at  A,  in- 
dicates the  cutting  gtock. 

close  to  ihebul”'^"'  tMs  time  covers  the  wound  before  growth 
ceases  in  the  fall.  Side  shoots,  when  they  appear,  must 


, BUDDING,  GRAFTING,  ETC.  137 

be  checked,  if  too  vigorous,  by  pinching  oif  their  ends, 
but  not  entirely  removed,  as  they  assist  in  giving  size  and 
strength  to  the  lower  part  of  the  body  of  the  young  tree. 
The  peach  almost  invariably  produces  numerous  side 
branches  the  first  season,  and  it  is  a very  common  but  very 
erroneous  practice  to  prune  these  all  off  in  mid-summer. 
The  proper  course  is  to  maintain  an  uniform  vigor  amongst 
them  by  pinching^  and  to  prevent  any  from  encroaching  on 
the  leading  shoot ; in  this  way  we  get  stout,  well-propor- 
tioned trees.  This  brings  us  to  the  end  of  the  second  year, 
and  gives  us  young  trees  of  one  year’s  growth.  Peach 
trees  should  always  be  planted  out  at  this  age,  and  all  trees 
intended  for  training  in  particular  forms ; but  as  this  part 
of  the  subject  will  be  considered  under  the  head  of  “ Selec- 
tions of  Trees  f we  will  proceed  to  the  course  of  manage- 
ment for  the 

Third  Year. — We  commence  this  year  with  trees  of 
one  year’s  growth ; and  the  first  point  is  to  determine  what 
forwy  is  to  be  given  them,  whether  tall  or  dwarf  sta/ndr 
ards^  pyramids^  hushes^  or  espaliers.  Having  settled  these 
matters,  we  have  but  to  follow  up  the  proper  course  to 
accomplish  the  desired  ends.  It  may  be  well  to  take  each 
of  these  forms  in  succession,  and  point  out  the  necessary 
management  under  various  circumstances. 

1st.  Standards. — Until  very  lately,  trees  of  all  sorts, 
and  for  every  situation,  were  grown  as  tall  standards,  with 
naked  trunks  six  and  even  eight  feet  high.  Indeed,  it 
appeared  as  though  an  impression  existed  amongst  people 
that  a tree  was  not  in  reality  a tree,  nor  worthy  of  a place 
on  their  grounds,  if  it  had  not  this  particular  form.  Lat- 
terly, however,  since  fruit  tree  culture  has  become  more 
practised,  and  somewhat  better  understood,  this  impres- 
sion has  been  gradually  losing  ground,  and  in  all  parts 
of  the  country  low  trees  are  finding  advocates. 

Experience  is  beginning  to  teach  people  that  whilst  tall 


138 


THE  NURSERY. 


standards  in  an  orchard  possess  the  single  advantage  of 
admitting  the  operations  of  the  plough  under  the  branches, 
low  standards  are  much  more  secure  against  the  numerous 
fatal  diseases  that  attack  the  trunks — are  much  more 
accessible  for  the  performance  of  all  the  necessary  details 
of  management,  and  for  the  gathering  of  the  fruit. 

These  are  all  very  important  advantages  certainly ; but 
the  most  important  one  is  the  safety  of  the  tree  against 
diseases  of  the  trunk.  In  all  parts  of  this  country,  we 
have  a powerful  sun  in  summer,  and  in  winter  and  spring 
sudden  and  violent  changes  from  one  extreme  to  another; 
and  experience  has  shown,  that  the  trunk  and  large 
branches,  being  fully  exposed  to  all  external  influences, 
are  generally  the  parts  first  attacked  with  disease.  Cub 
tivators  are,  of  course,  at  liberty  to  choose  for  themselves ; 
but,  except  to  meet  the  wants  of  some  particular  circum- 
stances, no  standard  tree  should  have  a branchless  stem 
above  five  feet  in  height : four  is  preferable  for  all,  ex- 
cept orchards  of  common  apples  for  cider  or  stock.  Trees 
with  heads  only  four  feet  from  the  ground,  are  always  easy 
of  access,  and  the  natural  spread  of  the  branches  affords 
a great  protection  to  the  trunk  at  all  seasons.  Nursery- 
men should  by  all  means  encourage  by  precept  and  ex- 
ample the  cultivation  of  low-headed  trees. 

Starting  with  the  yearling  trees  for  standards,  we 
examine  the  habit  of  the  variety,  whether  stout  or  slen- 
der, whether  branched,  as  many  varieties  are  the  first 
season,  or  without  branches.  Before  proceeding  to  the 
operation  of  cutting  down  to  increase  the  size  of  the 
trunk,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  principles  and  prac- 
tices of  pruning  in  the  first  part  of  the  work.  No  prun- 
ing should  be  attempted  for  the  attainment  of  any  special 
purpose  without  having  first  carefully  studied  these. 

If  slender  and  without  side  branches,  as  in  fig.  88, 
they  should  be  cut  back  twelve  to  twenty  inches,  as  at  A 


BUDDING,  GRAFTING,  ETC. 


139 


11  is  removes  the  buds  that  would  push  first,  and  retains 
the  sap  in  the  lower  parts,  which 
will  give  a stout  body.  The  taller 
and  more  slender  the  tree,  and 
the  smaller  the  buds,  the  farther 
it  becomes  necessary  to  cut  back. 
In  fact,  some  very  feeble  growing 
sorts  must  be  cut  back  till  within 
a foot  or  less  of  the  base.  Dur- 
ing the  summer,  trees  cut  back  in 
this  way  may  produce  lateral 
shoots  on  the  greater  part  of  their 
length.  These  must  not  be  pruned 
off,  but  kept  in  an  uniform  size 
and  vigor,  by  pinching  any  that 
threaten  to  exceed  their  proper 
bounds.  The  shoots  immediately 
below  the  leader,  must  be  watch- 
ed, as  they  are  always  inclined  to 
push  too  strongly. 

A tree  thus  cut  back,  and  the 


Fig.  88,  a y 
bud  A.  indie? 
make  a stout 
and  C.  the 


.ling  tree  ; from  the 

^ the  cutting  back  to  , 

,« for  a standard.  B side  braiiches  regulated  by  pinch- 

mg  back  for  pyra- 


ins:,  will,  in  the  fall,  have  a stout 

mids  or  low  .^o-sdards.  Z).  the  cut-  o'  ^ ^ 

ting  back  <iwarfs  or  espaliers,  body,  and  present  the  appearance 

Fig.  89.  a yC  w/'j^  tree  once  cut  back 
to  form  trunk  f jr  a standard. 


of  fig.  89.  Where  the  yearlings 
are  short  and  stout,  and  are  fur- 
nished with  a few  lateral  shoots,  cutting  back  may  be 
unnecessary.  The  largest  of  the  side  shoots  may  be 
})rimed  off  wholly,  and  the  small  ones  left  to  retain  the 
sap  in  the  lower  part  of  the  stem,  at  least  till  midsummer, 
when  new  ones  will  have  been  produced.  There  are  cer- 
tain stout-growing,  branching  varieties  of  all  the  fruits 
that  require  no  shortening  and  very  little  pruning  of  any 
kind,  to  foim  stout  trunks,  and  especially  when  not 
planted  too  close. 


140 


THE  NURSERY. 


Dwarf  Standards. — ^The  management  of  yeaiiy  bads 
to  produce  these,  is  similar  to  that  described  for  standards, 
varying  it  always  to  suit  the  particular  habit  of  the  spe- 
cies or  variety;  tall  slender  growing  sorts  require  cutting 
back,  and  the  suppression  of  branches  at  the  top;  but 
many  varieties  of  cherries  and  plums,  some  very  stout 
growing  pears  and  apples,  and  all  apricots  and  peaches, 
may  commence  the  formation  of  heads  this  season.  The 
stem  is  cut  at  the  point  desired,  two  to  three  feet  from  the 
ground,  to  form  the  head  on,  and  three  or  four  of  the 
stoutest  shoots,  growing  in  opposite  directions,  are  pre- 
served, whilst  all  others  close  to  them  are  pinched  off, 
when  two  or  three  inches  long ; side  branches  are  allowed 
to  remain  that  season  on  the  stem  to  strengthen  it,  but 
they  are  kept  short  and  regular  by  pinching.  In  the  fall 
these  trees  will  be  fit  for  the  final  planting  out,  whilst 
those  of  weaker  habit  will  require  another  season,  if  they 
be  wanted  with  heads. 

Pyramids. — Yearling  trees  intended  for  pyramids  are 
cut  back  so  far  as  to  ensure  the  production  of  vigorous 
side  branches  within  six  or  eight  inches  of  the  stock.  The 
habits  of  growth  of  the  species  and  variety  must  be  care- 
fully taken  into  account.  Some  are  disposed,  from  the 
beginning,  to  form  lateral  branches,  and  others  require 
vigorous  measures  to  force  them  to  do  so.  As  examples, 
the  Bloodgood  pear  is  very  much  inclined  to  branch  the 
first  year,  whilst  the  Louise  Bonne  de  J ersey  and  Duchess 
d’Angouleme  seldom  do  so,  unless  in  some  way  the  growing 
point  be  checked.  So  it  is  in  cherries ; most  of  the  Dukes 
and  Morellos  are  inclined  to  produce  laterals  the  first 
season,  but  the  free  growing  sorts.  Hearts  and  Digarreaus^ 
rarely  do  so,  unless  the  point  is  cheeked  early  in  the  sea- 
son. So  it  is  in  all  the  fruits,  and  therefore  no  general 
rule  can  be  given,  but  the  appearance  of  the  tree  indicates 
the  treatment  required.  Where  we  see  side  branches 


BUDDING,  GKAFriNG,  ETC. 


141 


naturally  produced  tlie  first  season,  we  at  once  conclude 
tliat  tlie  l)uds  are  well  disposed  to  break,  and  the  cutting 
back  may  be  comparatively  light.  Where  no  side 
branches  are  produced,  we  must  be  governed  by  the 
appearance  of  the  buds  on  the  lower  part  of  the  tree, 
where  it  is  desired  to  produce  the  lower  branches ; if  they 
be  small  and  fiat,  it  will  take  close  cutting  to  arouse  them, 
but  if -plump  and  prominent,  less  vigorous  measures  will 
be  necessary.  In  the  case  of  short,  stout,  and  branched 
yearlings,  a few  of  the  best  placed,  lowest,  and  strongest 
branches  are  reserved,  whilst  the  others  are  entirely  re> 
moved.  We  then  shorten  the  reserved  branches  accord- 
ing to  their  position,  leaving  the  lowest  the  longest.  The 
leading  shoot  is  shortened,  so  that  all  the  buds  left  will  be 
sure  to  push  and  form  shoots.  When  these  have  attained 
the  length  of  two  or  three  inches,  the  strongest  and  best 
placed  are  selected  for  permanent  branches,  and  the  others 
are  pinched  off. 

Yearlings  that  have  no  side  branches,  figure  88,  we 
generally  cut  back  one  half  as  to  j5,  and  in  many  cases 
two  thirds  to  (7,  in  order  to  obtain  strong  branches  near 
the  ground.  Every  bud  below  the  one  we  cut  to,  should 
push,  and  when  shoots  of  two  inches  or  so  are  made,  we 
select  two,  three,  or  such  number  as  may  be  wanted,  of 
the  strongest  and  best  situated  to  be  reserved,  and  pinch 
the  others.  It  very  generally  happens  that  two  or  three 
buds  next  below  the  one  we  cut  to,  push  with  such  vigor 
as  to  injure  both  the  leading  shoot  above  and  the  side 
shoots  below  them.  They  must  be  watched  and  pinched 
as  soon  as  this  disposition  becomes  obvious.  Yearling 
trees  managed  in  this  way  will  present  in  the  fall  the 
appearance  of  fig.  90. 

Purchasers  are  very  apt  to  favor  tall  trees,  even  at  the 
expense  of  their  forms ; and  nurserymen,  even  those  who 
know  better,  with  a view  to  suiting  the  tastes  of  their  cus- 


142 


THE  NURSERY. 


tomers,  rarely  cut  their  trees  back  sufficiently  to  make 
pyramids.  The  first  branches  are  seldom  less  than  two 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  it  is  quite  dif- 
ficult to  make  nice  pyramids  of  such 
trees  afterwards ; at  ali  events,  it  incurs 
a great  loss  of  time,  for  the  whole  of 
the  branches  and  half  of  the  stem  must 
be  cut  away  to  produce  the  required 
form. 

Dwarf  Bushes. — The  apple  on  para- 
dise is  generally  grown  in  this  form, 
with  six  to  twelve  inches  of  a stem  and 
spreading  heads.  The  Morello  cherry 
and  the  cherry  and  Mirabelle  plums, 
and  many  kinds  of  pears,  may  bo 
grown  as  dwarf  bushes,  if  desirable. 
The  stocks  must  all  be  of  a dwarf  cha- 
racter. Plants  from  which  the  strongest 
have  been  selected  for  dwarf  standards 
and  pyramids,  will  make  very  good 
90,  a two  year  old  The  braiiclies  being  so  near 

tree  cut  back  once,  and  ^ ^ 

intended  for  a pyramid,  the  root  renders  a less  amount  of  vigor 
The  cross  lines  indicate  i^gceggary.  Yerv  stroiiff  yearling  plants 

may  be  allowed  to  form  heads  the 
second  year,  but  such  as  are  very  slender  will  require  cut- 
ting back  and  another  season’s  growth,  before  the  head  is 
allowed  to  form ; and  they  will  require  a similar  course  of 
treatment,  as  has  been  recommended  for  standards,  and 
dwarf  standards.  No  matter  what  the  character  of  the 
tree  is,  a stout  stem  is  necessary,  and  although  the  mea- 
sures taken  to  obtain  this  seem  to  require  in  some  cases  a 
loss  of  time,  still  there  is  a gain,  in  the  end ; for  trees 
allowed  to  form  heads  before  the  stems  are  amply  sufii- 
cient  to  support  them,  require  a great  deal  of  extra  care 
after  planting  out,  and  a course  of  sborteuiug  back,  that 


Fia.  90. 


BUDDING,  GRAFTING,  ETC. 


143 


offsets  the  temporary  advantage  of  forming  the  head  a year 
sooner.  This  holds  good  in  all  cases.  The  mode  of  form- 
ing the  heads  of  dwarf  bushes  is  similar  to  that  described 
for  standards. 

Espalier  Trees, — ^These  have  a few  advantages  peculiar 
to  themselves,  which  will  be  explained  under  the  head  of 
“ the  selection  of  trees  for  the  garden.” 

To  form  espaliers,  yearling  trees  are  usually  chosen, 
planted  in  the  place  where  they  are  to  remain  and  cut 
back  to  within  four  or  five  buds  of  the  stocks,  as  at 
fig.  88 ; these  buds  break  and  produce  shoots  from  which 
the  strongest  are  chosen  to  form  the  arms,  and  the  others 
are  rubbed  off. 

The  peach  grows  so  vigorously  that,  if  the  growing 
bud  be  checked  when  a foot  high,  it  wfill  produce  side 
shoots,  from  which  two  may  be  selected  from  the  main 
branches  of  the  espalier,  and  thus  a year  will  be  saved. 
Another  way  is  to  insert  two  buds,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  stock.  Very  nice  espalier  trees  may  be  grown  in 
the  form  of  a pyramid  with  a main  stem  and  lateral 
branches,  the  lowest  being  the  longest.  Trees  for  this 
form  require  the  same  management  as  pyramids,  except 
that  the  branches  should  be  placed  opposite  on  two  sides. 
This  brings  us  to  the  end  of  the  third  year,  and  the  trees 
are  now  two  years  old  from  the  bud.  At  this  age  we 
take  it  for  granted  that  all  trees  on  dwarf  stocks  for  pyra- 
mids^ dwarfs,^  and  espaliers,^  and  all  standards  even,  of 
the  peach,  apricot,  and  nectarine,  and  in  most  cases  the 
cherry  and  plum,  will  be  finally  planted  out.  Standard 
pears  and  apples  are  almost  the  only  trees  that  require  to 
be  left  longer  in  the  nursery,  and  their  management 
during  the  tliird  and  fourth  years  of  their  growth,  if 
allowed  to  remain  so  long,  will  be  similar  to  that  de- 
scribed for  the  second.  In  the  spring,  February  or 
March,  the  leading  shoot  is  cut  back  in  order  to  increase 


THE  NTJRSERY. 


the  stoutness  of  the  stem  as  it  advances  in  height;  and 
during  the  summer,  the  side  shoots  are  kept  of  uniform 
length  and  vigor  by  pinching.  The  lower  side  branches 
are  removed  gradually  every  season  as  the  tree  becomes 
strong  enough  to  dispense  with  them.  As  it  has  been  be- 
fore remarked,  the  cutting  back  depends  always  on  the 
natural  character  of  the  subject — stout,  short-jointed,  mod- 
erate growing  sorts,  that  naturally  increase  in  height  and 
diameter  of  stem  in  proper  proportions,  will  require  no 
cutting  back.  Very  few,  however,  have  this  habit.  In 
nearly  all  cases  more  or  less  shortening  in,  every  spring, 
is  necessary  mitil  the  stem  has  arrived  at  the  requisite 
height,  and  is  well  proportioned,  decreasing  gradually  in 
diameter  from  the  base  to  the  top. 

The  Treatment  of  the  Soil. — During  the  whole  period 
the  trees  remain  in  the  nursery,  the  ground  about  them 
must  be  kept  clean  and  finely  pulverized  on  the  surface 
by  repeated  and  continual  stirring.  Every  spring,  as  soon 
as  the  heavy  rains  are  over,  and  the  ground  settled  and 
dry,  the  space  between  the  rows  should  be  ploughed,  if 
they  are  far  enough  apart  to  admit  of  it.  A small  one- 
horse  plough,  such  as  is  used  for  ploughing  cornfields  (see 
implements),  is  suitable,  but  it  should  not  be  allowed  to  go 
nearer  the  tree  than  six  inches,  nor  so  deep  as  to  come  in 
contact  with  the  roots.  After  ploughing,  the  cultivator 
may  be  run  through  once  each  way  between  the  r ws, 
every  week  or  two,  and  this  will  leave  very  little  hoein  ^ to 
be  done.  If  the  rows  are  so  close  as  not  to  admit  \he 
plough  and  cultivator,  the  forked  spade  must  be  used  in 
the  spring  to  give  the  ground  a thorough  stirring,  and  i Lie 
hoe  afterwards.  If  the  groimd  be  naturally  adhesive,  a 
second  or  even  a third  ploughing  or  spading  may  be 
necessary  in  the  course  of  the  summer ; for  it  must  at  all 
times  be  kept  in  a loose,  porous  condition,  or  the  roots  will 
be  deprived  of  the  benefits  of  the  air  and  moisture.  Stir* 


THE  GKAPE  VINE. 


145 


ring  the  ground  so  often  that  weeds  barely  make  their 
appearance,  is  not  only  the  best,  but  most  economical  cul- 
ture. 

It  need  scarcely  be  added  that  in  using  the  plough 
or  cultivator  among  trees,  a very  short  whitfletree  should 
be  used,  the  horse  should  be  gentle  and  steady,  and  the 
ploughman  both  careful  and  skilful ; and  laborers  who 
use  the  spade  or  hoe,  should  be  duly  cautioned  against 
cutting  or  bruising  the  trees  with  their  implements. 

Section  5. — ^Propagation  and  Nursery  Culture  of 

Several  Fruit  Trees  and  Shrubs  not  usually 

Grafted  or  Budded. 

1st.  The  Grape  Vine, — ^This  is  one  of  the  easiest  sub- 
jects to  propagate  among  all  our  fruit  trees. 

In  all  stages  of  its  growth  it  should  have  a d^ry  and 
rich  soi^  dryness  first  and  most  of  all.  The  surest 
method  of  propagation  for  unpractised  hands,  is  layerim^. 
A branch  or  shoot  of  the  current  season’s  growth,  laid 
down  in  June,  in  the  manner  described  in  the  first  part 
of  this  book  (figs.  61  and  62),  will  be  well  enough ‘rooted 
to  bear  transplanting  in  the  fall  or  spring  following,  llie 
reader  is  referred  to  the  instructions  on  layering. 

The  next  mode  is  by  long  cuttings.  At  the  winter 
pruning,  the  strongest,  roundest,  and  firmest  shoots  of  the 
previous  season’s  growth  are  selected,  and  cut  into  pieces 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  long,  mth  two  or  three  eyes,  as 
in  fig.  60.  They  are  cut  close  to  an  eye  at  the  lower  end, 
or  a piece  of  the  old  wood  may  be  attached,  like  fig.  58. 
These  cuttings  are  buried  in  dry,  sandy  earth,  till  the 
ground  is  fit  to  receive  them  in  the  spring. 

In  planting,  the  whole  cutting  is  buried  but  one  eye, 
and  some  cover  that  even  as  much  as  an  inch  deep.  The 
long  cutting  must  be  laid  in  the  trench  obliquely,  as  in 


146 


THE  NTTKSEKT. 


fig.  60,  SO  that  the  lower  part  will  not  be  out  of  reach  of 
air  and  heat,  without  which  new  roots  will  not  be  formed. 

During  the  summer,  the  earth  must  be  kept  clean  and 
friable  around  them ; and,  in  dry  seasons,  a thick  mulch- 
ing will  be  very  beneficial  in  preserving  a uniformity  of 
heat  and  moisture.  In  the  fall,  the  plants  will  be  fit  for 
final  transplanting ; but  if  they  remain  another  season, 
they  should  be  pruned  back  in  winter  to  two  or  three 
buds  at  the  base,  and  during  the  following  summer  onjy 
one  or  two  shoots  be  allowed  to  grow,  all  others  being 
rubbed  off  early. 

Layers,  when  taken  from  the  mother  plant,  and  set  in 
nursery  rows,  should  be  cut  back  in  the  same  manner,  in 
order  to  obtain  one  or  two  vigorous  shoots  when  the 
plant  is  to  be  finally  set  out. 

Short  Cuttings. — ^These  consist  of  only  one  eye,  from 
the  stoutest  and  firmest  shoots  of  the  previous  year’s 
wood  (fig.  59),  with  not  more  than  an  inch  of  wood  on 
each  side  of  it.  These  cuttings,  however,  seldom  succeed 
so  well  in  the  open  ground  as  others.  They  require  a 
little  artificial  bottom  heat. 

The  simplest  way  to  treat  them  is  to  make  a sort  of 
hotbed,  with  two  to  three  feet  of  half-decayed  stable 
manure,  well  mixed,  and  six  or  eight  inches  of  light 
sandy  soil.  The  cuttings  are  planted  in  this  a quarter  to 
half  an  inch  deep,  and  covered  with  a glazed  sash.  If 
carefully  and  regularly  watered,  and  well  ventilated,  they 
will  make  fine  plants  by  the  autumn.  A better  way  than 
this  is,  especially  in  propagating  the  foreign  varieties,  to 
put  them  into  pots,  and  put  the  pots  in  the  hotbed. 

A single  cutting  may  be  put  into  a small  three  inch 
pot,  covered  a fourth  of  an  inch  deep  ; or  several  cuttings 
may  be  inserted  in  a larger  pot.  In  this  case  they  should 
be  placed  around  the  sides.  When  they  have  made  a 
growth  of  about  six  inches,  they  may  be  shifted  into 


THE  CHRKAHT. 


147 


larger  pots,  with  good,  rich  compost.  In  one  season  they 
will  make  good,  strong  plants.  Plenty  of  air  should 
always  be  given  them,  as  soon  as  they  are  rooted,  to 
prevent  their  being  drawn  up  into  weak,  'watery  shoots. 
When  the  native  hardy  sorts  are  raised  from  eyes  in  the 
hotbed  as  described,  the  yearling  plants  should  be  pruned 
to  a couple  of  eyes,  and  transplanted  into  nursery  rows, 
where  one  season’s  growth  will  fit  them  for  final  setting. 

^Single  eyes^  in  all  cases,  make  the  best  plants. 

2d.  The  Currant, — Every  one  knows  how  to  propagate 
this.  A yearling  shoot,  six  inches  to  a foot  long,  taken 
off  close  to  the  old  wood,  and  pitted  half  or  two  thirds 
its  length  in  the  ground,  in  the  spring,  will  make  a 
strong,  well-rooted  plant  in  the  autumn.  To  prevent 
shoots  from  springing  uj)  below"  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
the  eyes  on  that  part  are  cut  out,  or  they  may  be  left  the 
first  season,  and  cut  out  when  the  plants  are  rooted. 

The  buds  aid  in  the  formation  of  roots.  When  a 
variety  is  rare  and  scarce,  the  young  shoots  may  all  be 
layered  in  July,  and  they  will  make  w^ell-rooted  plants  in 
the  fall. 

3d.  Gooseberries  are  propagated  in  the  same  way,  and 
with  almost  equal  facility,  as  currants^  though,  as  a gene- 
ral thing,  they  do  not  grow  with  such  rapidity.  Layers 
are  the  surest,  but  they  require  to  be  one  year  in  the 
nursery  row"s  after  being  separated  from  the  mother  plant 
to  make  them  strong  enough  for  the  final  planting.  An 
inch  or  two  of  swamp  moss  laid  over  the  surface  of  the 
ground  in  which  layers  are  made,  assists  in  retaining  the 
moisture.  This  is  applicable  to  all  kinds  of  layers. 

4th.  Strawberries  are  propagated  by  the  runners,  which 
spread  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  all  directions  from 
the  plant  as  soon  as  it  begins  to  grow  in  the  spring. 
Where  a variety  is  scarce,  and  it  is  desirable  to  multiply 
it  carefully,  these  runners  should  be  sunk  slightly  in  the 


148 


THE  NUKSERY. 


ground,  and  pegged  down  with  small  hooked  sticks,  as 
they  will  root  and  form  plants  fit  for  removal  much 
quicker  than  if  left  to  root  in  their  own  way.  With 
good  management,  a single  plant  may  produce  twenty- 
five  to  fifty,  and  even  one  hundred  in  one  season.  Plants 
to  be  propagated  from,  should  have  abundance  of  space, 
and  a deep,  rich  soil.  An  application  of  liquid  manure 
will  stimulate  their  vigor,  and  increase  the  number  and 
strength  of  the  runners. 

5th.  Baspberries  are  propagated  from  suckers,  or  shoots 
produced  from  the  collar,  or  spreading  roots  of  the  plant. 
They  are  renewed  every  season.  The  canes  bearing  but 
once,  they  may  be  propagated  by  layering  the  young 
canes  in  midsummer,  and  by  cuttings  of  the  roots.  The 
latter  mode  is  advantageously  applied  in  the  case  of  new 
or  rare  sorts. 

6th.  Berberries  are  propagated  by  seeds,  suckers,  and 
layers,  in  the  simplest  manner.  Pare  sorts  are  also  grafted 
successfully  on  the  common  ones  early  in  the  spring,  in 
the  cleft  mode. 

7th.  Mulberries. — ^The  large  black  mulberry  is  the  only 
one  worthy  of  culture  for  the  fruit.  It  is  easily  propa- 
gated both  by  cuttings  and  layers.  The  latter  mode  is 
the  surest. 

8th.  Chestnuts. — ^The  common  American  chestnut  may 
be  propagated  from  seeds  either  planted  in  the  fall  or 
kept  in  sand  all  winter,  and  planted  early  in  the  spring. 
In  one  season  they  are  fit  to  transplant  into  nursery  rows, 
and  in  two  years  more  at  most  may  be  finally  planted 
out. 

The  Sjpanish  chestnut  is  propagated  either  from  seeds 
or  by  grafting  on  the  common  chestnut.  Its  fruit  is  three 
times  as  large  as  the  common. 

9th.  Filberts  are  propagated  either  from  suckers  or  by 
grafting.  If  seedlings  are  used  for  stocks,  the  grafted 


LABEI.S  FOR  NURSERY  TREES. 


149 


plants  are  the  best,  as  they  arc  not  only  more  prolific,  but 
they  do  not  throw  up  suckers.  They  may  be  grown 
either  ac  low  standards,  with  stems  three  feet  high,  or  as 
pyramids  or  dwarf  bushes. 

10th.  Walnuts  are  propagated  from  seeds  or  by  graft- 
ing, in  the  same  way  as  filberts.  There  is  a dwarf  jyro- 
life  variety,  that  bears  quite  young,  and  makes  handsome 
pyramidal  garden  trees. 

Section  6. — ^Labels  for  Nursery  Trees. 

It  is  highly  important  that  a correct  system  for  preserv 
ing  the  names  of  varieties  be  adopted.  Om*  practice  is,  to 
make  labels  of  cedar,  eighteen  inches  long,  three  inches 
wide,  and  about  an  inch  thick.  These  are  pointed  on  one 

A end,  to  be  sunk  in  the  ground  eight  or  ten  inches, 
and  the  face  is  painted  white.  When  a variety 
is  to  be  budded  or  grafted,  the  name,  or  a number 
iv^ferring  to  a regular  record  is  written  on  it, 
and  it  is  put  in  the  ground  in  front  of  the  first  tree 
of  the  variety.  Besides  this,  we  invariably  record 
in  the  nursery  book  each  row,  with  the  kind  or 
kinds  worked  on  it,  in  the  order  they  stand  in 
the  square.  In  case  of  the  accidental  loss  of  the 
labels,  the  record  preserves  the  names.  Figure 
91  represei-ts  this  kind  of  label,  and  though  there 
are  many  others  in  use,  we  believe  this  is  one  of 
the  simplest  and  best. 

At  the  time  of  budding  or  grafting,  we  usually 

\l  write  the  name  on  with  pencil,  and  after  the 

Fiff.  91,  la-  square  has  been  all  worked,  the  numbers  are 
selyTowr*  withi  a brush  and  black  paint. 


150 


THB  NURSERY. 


Section  7. — ^Taking  up  Teee.8  from  the  Nursery. 

This  is  an  operation  that  should  be  well  underetood, 
and  performed  with  the  greatest  care.  The  importance  of 
the  fibrous  roots  has  been  already  explained.  It  has  been 
shown  that  they  are  the  principal  absorbing  parts  of  the 
roots,  and  when  they  are  destroyed  the  tree  receives  a 
great  shock,  from  which  it  requires  good  treatment  and  a 
long  time  to  recover.  There  is  a great  difference  in  the 
character  of  roots,  some  penetrating  the  ground  to  a great 
depth,  and  requiring  much  labor  in  the  removal,  others 
quite  fibrous  near  the  surface,  and  consequently  very 
easily  taken  up.  This  difference  is  not  owing  alone  to 
the  difference  in  the  species,  but  to  whether  the  subjects 
have  or  have  not  been  frequently  transplanted.  The  way 
to  take  up  a tree  properly,  is  to  dig  a trench  on  each  side 
at  the  extremities  of  the  lateral  or  spreading  roots,  taking 
care  that  the  edge,  and  not  the  face  of  the  spade,  be  kept 
next  the  tree,  so  that  the  roots  will  not  be  cut  oft'.  When 
this  trench  is  so  deep  as  to  be  below  all  the  lateral  roots, 
a slight  pull,  and  a pry  on  each  side  with  the  spade,  will 
generally  bring  out  the  trees.  If  there  be  strong  tap 
roots,  running  down  to  a great  depth,  they  may  be  cut 
with  a stroke  of  the  spade.  Laborers  who  have  not  been 
accustomed  to  the  work,  invariably  perform  it  badly,  and 
it  is  difticult  to  get  it  properly  done  even  by  experienced 
hands.  It  is  a work  requiring  care  and  leisure,  though  it 
is  usually  performed  slovenly  and  in  great  haste. 

Labelling. — ^When  a tree,  or  a number  of  trees,  of  any 
varietv  are  taken  up,  a label,  with  the  name  written  on  it, 
should  at  once  be  attached.  The  kind  of  label  used  in 
the  nurseries  here,  is  a piece  of  pine  about  three  and  a half 
inches  long,  three  fourths  of  an  inch  wide,  and  one  eighth 


TAKING  UP  TREES  FROM  THE  NURSERY. 


151 


•>f  an  inch  tliick.  A neck  is  made  on  one  end  by  cutting 
into  each  edge  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch ; a piece  of  No. 
32  copper  wire,  about  seven  or  eight  inches  long,  is  then 
fastened  in  the  middle,  on  the  neck  of 
the  label,  with  two  or  three  twists. 

The  two  ends  of  the  wire  are  then 
^Dlaced  around  the  stem,  or  a branch  of 
the  ti’ee,  and  are  fastened  with  a twist  or 
two.  This  kind  of  wire  and  label  we 
find  by  experience  to  be  not  only  safe, 
but  more  expeditiously  attached  than 
any  other.  If  a little  paint  is  rubbed  on 
just  before  being  used,  the  writing  will 
be  more  legible  and  permanent,  but  it  wire  label  for  treei. 
should  be  so  liglit  as  to  be  barely  perceptible,  else  it  wiU 
clog  the  pencil.  These  labels  are  made  very  quickly,  as 
follows:  take  a common  inch  board  planed,  cut  into 
pieces  the  length  of  the  label,  make  a groove  with  a knife 
or  saw  along  both  sides,  at  one  end  for  the  neck,  and  then 
set  the  piece  on  its  end,  and  split  off  the  labels  with  a 
knife ; this  can  be  done  nearly  as  fast  as  one  person  can 
pick  them  up.  The  wire  costs  three  shillings  per  pound, 
and  is  cut  into  lengths  with  a pair  of  common  shears. 

Packing, — Persons  who  are  ignorant  of  the  structure 
of  trees,  never  appreciate  the  importance  of  packing;  and 
that  is  the  reason  why  so  many  trees  are  every  year 
destroyed  by  exposure.  It  is  not  uncommon,  in  this  pait 
of  the  country,  to  see  apple  trees  loaded  on  hayracks, 
like  so  much  brush,  without  a paiiicle  of  covering  on  any 
part  of  them,  to  travel  a journey  of  three  or  four  weeks 
in  this  condition.  Of  course  it  is  utterly  impossible  that 
such  trees  can  live  or  thrive ; and  yet  the  persons  who 
thus  conduct  their  nursery  operations,  are  doing  the  most 
profitable  business.  Such  practices  are  not  only  dishonest, 


152 


THE  HURSEKY. 


but  liighly  injurious  and  disreputable  to  the  trade ; and 
it  is  by  no  means  fair  to  class  such  people  amongst  re- 
spectable and  honorable  nurserymen. 

Purchasers  are  often  at  fault  in  this  matter.  Nursery- 
men have  to  buy  and  pay  for  the  material  used  in  pack- 
ing. Mats  cost  one  to  two  shillings  apiece  ; straw,  three 
cents  per  small  bundle ; yam,  one  to  two  shillings  per 
pound ; moss,  three  to  four  dollars  per  load,  in  many 
cases  ; and  besides,  the  labor  of  packing,  when  well  done^ 
ifi  very  great.  It  is,  therefore,  not  unreasonable  that  a 
charge  be  made ; but  some  people,  rather  than  pay 
twenty-five  or  fifty  cents  for  packing  fifty  trees,  would 
expose  themselves  to  the  risk  of  losing  all.  Purchasers 
should  invariably  charge  the  nurseryman  to  whom  they 
send  their  orders,  to  pack  in  the  lyest  manner.  Better  pay 
one  or  even  two  cents  per  tree  for  packing,  than  lose  it  or 
injure  it  so  much  as  to  make  it  almost  worthless. 

The  mode  of  packing  pursued  here  is  this : Where  the 
trees  are  packed  in  bundles,  a number  of  ties  are  first 
laid  down,  then  a layer  of  long  rye  straw,  three  or  four 
inches  deep ; the  trees  are  then  laid  compactly  together, 
straw  being  placed  among  the  tops  to  prevent  their  being 
chafed  when  drawn  together,  a>nd  damp  moss  from  the 
swamp  is  shaken  among  the  roots.  When  the  bundle  is 
built,  long  straw  is  placed  on  the  top  as  below,  and  it  is 
then  bound  up  as  tightly  as  it  can  be  drawn.  Straw  is 
then  placed  around  the  roots  sufficiently  thick  to  exclude 
the  air,  and  then  a bass  mat  is  sewed  on  over  the  ^traw. 
If  the  bundle  is  only  to  go  a short  distance,  the  straw 
can  be  so  secured  around  the  roots  that  the  mats  may  be 
dispensed  with  ; but  if  it  has  a long  journey  to  perform, 
it  should  be  matted  from  bottom  to  top,  and  sewed  with 
strong  tarred  spun  yam,  about  as  thick  as  a goose  quill. 
Boxes  are  rather  more  secure  for  very  long  journeys ; 
they  should  be  made  of  white  wood,  or  some  light  timber 


TAKING  TIP  TREES  FROM  THE  NURSERY. 


153 


tliat  liolds  nails  well.  If  the  trees  are  composed  of  seve- 
ral varieties,  they  should  be  tied  in  small  parcels  of  four 
to  six  each,  according  to  the  size.  The  sides  and  ends 
of  the  box  should  be  well  lined  with  straw,  and  the 
roots  bedded  in  moss  and  the  tops  in  straw,  to  prevent 
chafing. 

If  the  box  be  large,  two  rows  of  cleats  are  necessary— 
one  in  the  middle  and  one  in  the  top,  to  hold  the  trees  in 
their  place  and  to  keep  the  box  from  spreading.  When 
the  box  is  nailed  up,  it  should  be  banded  at  both  ends 
with  iron  hoops,  fastened  with  wrought  nails.  Packed 
in  this  XTay,  trees  may  go  any  distance  with  safety.  The 
season  of  the  year  modifies  the  mode  of  packing.  The 
roots  should  always  for  a long  journey  be  immersed  in  a 
thin  mud  before  being  packed,  as  this  excludes  the  air ; 
but  in  the  tall,  this  mud  should  be  dry  before  the  packao-e 
IS  made  up,  and  the  moss  should  contain  very  little  mofe- 
ture.  In  a frosty  time  the  less  moisture  there  is  about 
the  roots  the  better ; but  an  abundance  of  straw  should 
be  used  to  exclude  the  air  and  frost. 

^ Ileehng  in.  When  trees  are  taken  up,  and  cannot  be 
either  packed  or  planted  at  once,  they  are  laid  in  by  the 
roots  ;m  trenches ; the  longer  they  have  to  remain  in  this 
situation  the  better  it  should  be  performed.  Trees  are 
often  wintered  in  this  way,  and  if  the  trenches  are  duo- 
deep,  and  the  roots  well  spread  out  and  deeply  covereif 
they  are  perfectly  safe.  It  should  be  done  in  such  cases 
^th  almost  as  much  care  as  the  final  planting  of  a tree. 

len  great  bundles  of  the  roots  are  huddled  in  too-ether 
and  only  three  or  four  inches  of  earth  thrown  over°them.’ 

• them,  and  they  sustain  serious 

injuiy.  Tender  trees  likely  to  suffer  from  the  freezing;  of 
. le  shoote,  should  be  laid  in  an  inclined,  almost  horizon- 
fat  position,  and  be  covered  with  brush,  evere^een  bouo-hs 
-r  something  that  will  break  off  the  violence  of  the  wind 
7* 


154 


THE  NUBSERY. 


and  frost.  Straw  should  not  be  used,  as  it  attracts  vermin, 
Some  rough  litter  or  manure  should  also  be  thrown  around 
the  roots,  and  in  this  way  the  most  tender  of  all  om  fruit 
trees  may  be  wintered  with  safety. 


PART  III 


THE  LATING  OUT,  ARRANGEMENT  AND  GENERAL  MAN- 
AGEMENT  OF  DIFFERENT  KINDS  OF  PERMANENT  PLAN- 
TATIONS  OF  FRUIT  TREES,  SELECTION  OF  TREES,  AND 
T^ARIETIES.  AND  PRUNING  AND  CONDUCTING  TREE? 
UNDER  VARIOUS  FORMS, 


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CHAPTEE  I. 


^•EEMAI^EIST  PLANTATIONS  OF  FEUIT  TEEES. 

Sejotion  1. — ^The  Different  Kinds  of  Plantations. 

These  are  of  several  kinds,  and  may  be  classed  as  fol- 
lows— 1st.  The  Family  Orchard^  which  is  a portion  of 
the  farm  set  apart  for  the  production  of  the  more  hardy 
and  common  fruit,  principally  apples,  for  the  use  of  the 
farm  stock  and  the  family.  2d.  The  Market  or  Commer- 
cial Orchard,  is  a large  plantation  of  the  various  species 
of  fruit  trees  for  the  production  of  fruit  as  an  article  of 
commerce.  3d.  The  Fruit  Garden^  with  the  Farmer  is 
a plot  of  ground  near  the  dwelling,  in  which  the  finer 
fruits,  as  pears,  peaches,  plums,  cherries,  apricots,  &c., 
and  all  the  small  fruits  are  cultivated.  In  many  cases, 
and  even  in  most  cases,  it  is  a portion  of  the  kitchen  gar- 
den, where  the  table  or  culinary  vegetables  are  grown. 
With  the  professional  man,  the  merchant,  the  mechanic, 
and  others  who  reside  in  cities,  villages,  and  their  suburbs, 
possessing  but  small  tracts  of  land,  at  most  but  a few 
acres,  the  fruit  garden  is  the  only  source  for  the  supply 
of  fruits  for  their  families,  and  is  usually  planted  with 
the  more  rare,  perishable,  and  valuable  sorts  that  cannot 
so  easily  be  procured  in  market. 

The  pleasure  and  profit  derived  from  fruit  plantations, 


158 


PESMAITENT  PLANTATIONS. 


under  any  or  all  of  these  circumstances,  depend  upon 
the  judicious  selection  of  soil^  situation^  trees^  aPjd  va- 
rieties^ and  their  proper  a/rrangement  and  management 
These  are  the  essential  points,  and  every  man  who  con- 
templates planting  to  a greater  or  less  extent,  should 
avail  himself  of  all  the  light  which  experience  has  shed 
upon  these  various  branches  of  the  subject,  before  making 
the  first  movement  towards  the  execution  of  his  project. 

Section  2. — ^The  Oechard. 

The  orchard  is  distinguished  from  the  fruit  garden  in 
this,  that  the  trees  planted  in  it  are  generally  of  the  larg- 
est size  to  which  the  species  attain ; they  are  grown  in 
the  natural,  or,  as  it  is  called,  standard  form,  without  any 
particular  training,  and  the  varieties  are  generally  the 
most  hardy  and  productive  of  the  species. 

1.  The  situation  of  an  orchard  with  regard  to  exposure 
or  aspect,  requires  very  little  consideration  in  some  parts 
of  the  country.  Where,  as  in  Western  New  York  for  in- 
stance, the  winters  are  uniform,  or  comparatively  so,  in 
temperature,  and  late  spring  frosts  do  not  prevail,  the 
main  difiiculties  to  guard  against  are  the  prevailing  high 
winds  from  the  west  and  north  that  injure  the  blossoms 
and  blow  off  the  fruit  before  it  is  mature.  If  possible, 
a situation  should  be  chosen  where  some  natural  obstacle, 
as  a hill  or  a belt  of  woods,  would  break  the  force  and 
influence  of  these  destructive  winds.  Where  no  such 
obstacle  naturally  exists,  a belt  or  border  of  rapid  grow- 
ing trees,  such  as  soft  maples^  white  pines^  and  Abeles, 
should  be  planted  simultaneously  with  the  planting  of 
the  orchard,  that  they  may  grow  up  and  form  a protec- 
tion by  the  time  the  trees  have  come  into  bearing. 

In  other  sections,  as  in  some  of  the  central  and  south- 
ern counties  of  New  York,  and  in  some  parts  of  Ohio, 


THE  ORCHARD. 


159 


niinois,  Wisconsin,  and  others  of  the  western  as  well  as 
in  the  southern  States,  where  late  and  fatal  spring  frosts 
prevail,  the  selection  of  a situation  is  a most  important 
point.  In  such  localities  an  eastern  and  southern  expo- 
sure, and  low  grounds,  are  to  he  avoided. 

John  J.  Thomas,  in  his  Fruit  Culturist,  states  that,  In 
the  valley  of  the  Conhocton,  which  is  flanked  by  hills  five 
hundred  feet  high,  peach  trees  have  been  completely 
killed  to  the  groimd,  but  on  one  of  the  neighboring  hills, 
five  hundred  feet  above,  and  probably  twelve  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  an  orchard  planted  in  good 
soil  yields  regular  crops.  In  the  tovm  of  Spencer,  Tioga 
County,  near  the  head  of  Cayuga  inlet,  peaches  have  with- 
stood the  climate  and  done  well  at  an  elevation  of  seven 
hundred  feet  above  Cayuga  Lake.”  Lawrence  Young, 
Esq.,  Chairman  of  the  Kentucky  Fruit  Committee,  reported 
to  the  Pomological  Convention  at  Cincinnati,  in  1850,  the 
case  of  an  orchard  in  that  State,  lying  within  the  peach 
district,  occupying  the  slopes  of  hills  of  no  great  height, 
inclining  gently  toward  a river  distant  only  a few  hundred 
yards.  Its  sucoess  was  that  common  to  a fickle  western 
climate — a fruit  year  and  a failure,  or  perhaps  two  years 
of  productiveness  and  three  of  disappointment  in  every 
five. 

Within  five  miles  of  this  orchard,  however,  is  located 
a hill  six  hundred  feet  high,  upon  which  the  peach  crop 
has  not  failed  since  he  first  knew  it.  Numerous  other 
instances  are  quoted  and  the  particulars  given  with  great 
accuracy,  showing  the  effects  of  even  very  slight  eleva- 
tions. 

Among  others  is  an  instance  of  the  heath-peach  bearing 
a full  crop  in  one  part  of  an  orchard,  whilst  in  another 
part  thirty  feet  lower,  the  same  variety  bore  not  a single 
fruit.  Multitudes  of  such  cases  might  be  collected  in  all 
parts  of  the  country  where  the  climate  is  variable,  because 


160 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


in  sucli  situations  vegetation  is  earlier  excited  than  in  those 
more  elevated  and  colder,  and  frosts  always  fall  more 
heavily  on  low  than  on  high  grounds.  Every  one  who 
has  paid  the  slightest  attention  to  the  action  of  frost  on 
vegetation  is  aware,  that  even  an  elevation  of  two  or  three 
feet  of  one  portion  of  the  same  field  or  garden  above  the 
other  frequently  proves  a protection  from  an  untimely  frost. 
In  a dry  and  firm  soil,  vegetation  is  more  exempt  from  inju- 
ries by  frost  than  in  a damp,  soft,  and  spongy  soil  on  the 
same  level,  not  only  because  trees  on  such  soils  are  more 
mature  and  hardier  in  their  parts,  but  because  the  soil  and 
the  atmosphere  above  it  are  less  charged  with  watery  par- 
ticles that  attract  the  frost.  Bodies  of  water  that  do  not 
freeze  in  winter,  such  as  some  of  our  inland  lakes,  exert  a 
favorable  infiuence  for  a considerable  distance  from  theii 
margins  in  protecting  vegetation  from  late  spring  and 
early  autumn  frosts. 

In  some  parts  of  the  West,  as  in  Wisconsin  and 
Illinois,  the  winters  are  so  variable — during  the  day  as 
mild  as  spring,  and  in  the  night  the  mercury  falling 
many. degrees  below  zero — that  even  apple^and  pear  trees 
in  soft,  damp,  and  rich  soils,  are  frequently  killed  to  the 
ground. 

In  such  localities,  experience  has  taught  cultivators 
that  elevated,  dry,  firm,  and  moderately  rich  soil,  that 
will  produce  a firm,  well-matured  growth,  is  the  only 
safeguard  against  the  destruction  of  plantations  in  the 
winter.  In  all  localities  where  fruit  culture  has  made 
any  considerable  progress,  there  is  generally  exj>erience 
enough  to  be  found,  if  carefully  sought  for  and  collected, 
to  guide  beginners  in  fixing  upon  sites  for  orchards ; and 
no  man  should  venture  to  plant  without  giving  due 
attention  to  the  subject,  and  availing  himself  of  all  the 
experience  of  his  neighbors ; for  experience,  after  all,  is 
the  only  truly  reliable  guide. 


THE  OECHAJRD. 


161 


2d-  The  Soil,— Having  treated  already  of  the  different 
characters  and  modes  of  amelioration  of  soils,  it  is  only 
necessary  here  to  point  out  what  particular  qualities  or 
kinds  are  best  adapted  to  the  different  classes  of  fruit 
trees,  as  far  as  experience  will  warrant  in  so  doing.  There 
are  soils  of  a certain  texture  and  quality,  in  which,  by 
proper  management,  all  our  hardy  fruits  may  be  grown 
to  perfection.  For  instance,  the  soil  of  our  specimen 
orchard,  which  is  that  usually  termed  a sandy  loam,^  with 
a sandy  clay  suhsoil,^  so  dry  that  it  can  be  worked  imme- 
diately after  a rain  of  twenty-four  hours.  On  this  we 
have  apples,  pears,  plums,  cherries,  peaches,  apricots,  and, 
indeed,  all  the  fruits  planted  promiscuously,  side  by  side, 
not  by  choice  but  necessity,  and  all  these  yield  bountiful 
crops  of  the  finest  fruit  every  season,  and  that,  so  far, 
without  any  special  attention  in  the  way  of  manures  or 
composts.  Our  country  abounds  in  such  soils,  and  others 
somewhat  different  in  character,  but  equally  eligible  for 
all  fruit  trees  when  well  managed.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  are  soils  wholly  unfit  for  fruit  trees  of  any  kind — 
such  are  peaty  or  mucky,  and  damp,  cold,  and  spongy  soils. 
For  an  orchard  of  apples  or  pears,  a dry,  deep,  substantial 
soil,  between  sandy  and  a clayey  loam,  and  possessing 
among  its  inorganic  parts  a considerable  portion  of  lime, 
is,  according  to  all  experience,  the  best.*  On  such  soils 
we  find  the  greatest  and  most  enduring  vigor  and  fertility, 
the  healthiest  and  hardiest  trees,  and  the  fairest  and  best- 
flavored  fruits.  Trees  both  of  apples  and  pears,  planted 
on  such  soils  in  western  IS’ew  York,  upwards  of  fifty 

* The  ashes  of  the  bark  of  apple  trees  disclose  the  fact,  that  in  one 
hundred  parts  upwards  of  fifty  are  lime.  In  the  sapwood  eighteen  of  lime, 
seventeen  of  phosphate  of  lime  (similar  to  bone  earth) , and  sixteen  of 
potash.  In  the  heart  or  perfect  wood,  thirty-seven  of  lime.  In  the  ashes 
of  the  sapwood  of  the  pear  of  one  hundred  parts,  twelve  of  lime,  twenty- 
seven  phosphate  ot  lime,  and  twenty-two  of  potash.  In  the  ash  of  the 
hark,  thirty  of  lime 


162 


PEEMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


years  ago,  are,  at  this  day,  in  the  very  height  of  their 
vigor  and  productiveness,  without  having  received  more 
than  the  most  ordinary  culture.  In  some  of  these  soils, 
where  the  pear  and  apple  flourish  so  well,  and  endure  so 
long,  the  peach  does  not  succeed  at  all.  The  reason  is,  it 
is  too  stiff  and  compact. 

The  plum  succeeds  best,  as  a general  thing,  on  a clayey 
loam,  rather  stiff.  The  Canada  or  native  plum,  however, 
succeeds  well  on  very  light  soils.  The  cherry^  peachy 
apricot^  necta/rine^  and  almond^  require  a light,  dry,  and 
warm  soil,  and  will  not  succeed  on  any  other.  The  best 
and  most  enduring  peach  orchards  are  on  dry,  sandy 
loams  ; but  good  orchards  are  raised  with  proper  manage- 
ment on  loose,  light  sands,  though  on  such  the  trees  are 
shorter  lived,  and  require  constant  care  in  the  way  of 
dressings  of  manure  and  compost.  There  are  two  points 
to  be  observed  in  regard  to  soils  under  all  circumstances. 
They  must  possess  the  inorganic  substances,  such  as  lime, 
potash,  etc.,  that  constitute  a large  portion  of  the  ashes 
of  the  wood  and  bark  when  burned,  and  a sufficient 
amount  of  organic  matter,  vegetable  mould,  which  dis- 
solves and  furnishes  material  for  the  formation  and 
growth  of  new  parts.  When  large  and  permanent  plan- 
tations are  to  be  made,  it  will  well  repay  the  trouble  and 
expense  of  procuring  the  analysis  of  the  soil,  in  order  to 
ascertain  somewhat  correctly  its  merits  and  defects. 
People  who  have  been  long  engaged  in  the  culture  of  the 
soil,  can  judge  pretty  correctly  of  its  quality  by  its 
appearance,  texture,  subsoil,  and  the  character  of  the 
rocks  and  stones  that  underlie  and  prevail  in  it ; but  the 
inexperienced  do  not  understand  such  indications,  and 
will  do  well  to  have  recourse  to  a careful  analysis  by 
some  competent  person. 

3d.  Preparation  of  Soil  for  an  Orchard, — The  season 
before  planting,  the  soil  should  be  at  least  twice  ploughed 


THE  ORCHAKD. 


163 


vvith  a common  and  subsoil  plough,  enriched  with  suitable 
composts,  and  drained,  if  necessary.  It  should  be  eighteen 
inches  to  two  feet  deep,  and  quite  dry. 

4:th.  Enclosures. — Before  a tree  is  planted,  it  is  neces- 
sary that  the  ground  be  enclosed  with  a fence,  sufficient 
to  protect  it  against  the  invasion  of  animals.  It  is  no  un- 
common thing  to  hear  people  regret  that  the  cattle  broke 
into  the  orchard  and  destroyed  many  trees.  Indeed  it  fre. 
quently  happens  that  more  damage  is  done  in  this  way 
than,  if  duly  estimated,  would  have  fenced  the  whole 
orchard.  There  is  much  inquiry  now-a-days  on  the  subject 
of  fences,  and  various  plans  and  materials  are  suggested 
and  tried.  Live  hedges  are  unquestionably  the  most  orna- 
mental and  appropriate  enclosures  for  extensive  planta- 
tions of  fruit  trees,  and  in  time  will  no  doubt  be  generally 
adopted.  Hitherto  the  failure  of  many  plants  tried,  and 
the  cost  and  difficulty  of  obtaining  others,  have  retarded 
their  introduction.  Experience,  however,  has  at  length 
pretty  fairly  decided  that  the  Osage  orange  is  the  lest  for 
the  west  and  south  west.^  and  the  lucMhorn  for  the  north 
and  east.  The  seeds  of  both  these  plants  are  now  easily 
procured,  and  plants  of  them  may  be  obtained  in  nurseries 
at  $5  or  $6  per  1000,  and  about  2000  will  fence  an  acre  of 
ground,  setting  the  plants  twelve  inches  apart  in  two  rows 
six  inches  apart,  which  is  the  strongest  way.  A single 
row  at  six  inches  apart  will  make  a good  fence  with  pro- 
per shearing  to  thicken  them  at  the  bottom  j either  way 
they  will  make  a beautiful  and  efficient  hedge  in  five  or 
six  years.  The  honey  locust  is  also  a strong,  hardy,  rapid 
growing  plant,  and  makes  a hedge  in  three  or  four  years 
that  animals  will  be  afraid  to  looTc  at.  It  is  sometimes 
objected  to  hedges  that  they  harbor  birds,  but  it  is  to  be 
remembered  that  birds  are  the  natural  foes  of  insects,  and 
never  fail  to  accomplish  a vast  amount  of  labor  for  the 
good  of  the  fruit  grower,  for  which  they  ought  to  be  fully 


164 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


entitled  to  a participation  intis  enjoyments.  As  the  fea 
thered  race  are  persecuted  and  driven  away  fiom  our  gar- 
dens, insects  become  more  numerous  and  destructive ; at 
least  this  is  the  experience  of  most  people,  and  should 
lessen,  if  not  entirely  prevent,  the  cruel  hostility  that  is 
continually  waged  against  them. 

5 th. — Selection  of  Yarieties  of  Fruits  for  an  Orchard . — 
This  is  a most  important  point ; the  selection  of  varieties 
must  in  all  cases  be  made  with  reference  to  the  uses  to  which 
they  are  to  be  appropriated.  The  family  orchard  of  the  far- 
mer, we  will  suppose  to  contain  apple  trees  alone,  as  all  the 
other  fruits  are,  or  ought  to  be,  grown  in  fruit  garden. 
His  selection  of  varieties  must  be  adapted  to  his  wants 
and  circumstances.  In  the  first  place,  the  number  of  his 
family  must  regulate  the  proportion  of  kitchen  and  table 
varieties.  In  the  second  place,  he  must  consider  how 
many  he  will  want  for  sauce^  how-  many  for  hahing  and 
drying.^  how  many  for  cider and  how  many  for  the  dessert.^ 
and  what  proportion  of  sweet  and  of  acid.  These  are  all 
considerations  that  depend  upon  the  habits,  taste,  and 
mode  of  living  of  families,  and  for  which  no  man  can 
provide,  or  suggest,  but  the  planter  himself.  Then,  again, 
he  must  consider  to  what  extent  it  may  be  advantageous 
to  feed  apples  to  his  stock,  and  provide  for  it  accordingly. 

Without  considering  well  all  these  points,  a man  may 
sit  down  and  select  what  are  called  “ the  best  varie- 
ties,” and  yet  find  himself  badly  suited  when  they  come 
to  bear ; for  so  it  happens  that  a variety  that  may  be 
for  the’ dessert  will  be  exceedingly  unprofitable  for 
other  purposes.  A hardy,  vigorous,  and  productive  variety 
of  medium  quality,  quite  unfit  for  the  table,  may  be  infi- 
nitely more  advantageous  for  feeding  stock,  than  a feeble 
growing,  shy  bearing  variety,  quite  indispensable  for  the 
dessert ; and  an  apple  may  be  excellent  for  sauce,  for  bak- 


THE  ORCIIABD. 


165 


mg,  or  drying,  and  unfit  for  the  dessert;  these  pointe 
should  all  be  duly  considered. 

Tlie  Marlcet  or  Commercial  Orchardist  must  exercise 
the  same  discrimination  in  the  selection  of  his  varieties, 
adapting  them  to  the  mode  of  culture  he  intends  to  pur- 
sue and  the  market  he  intends  to  supply.  In  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  large  cities  and  towns,  where  the  or- 
chardist may  carry  his  fruit  to  market  in  a few  hours, 
the  most  profitable  culture  will,  generally  speaking,  be 
summer  and  early  autumn  fruits,  or  such  as  require  to  be 
consumed  immediately  after  maturity,  and  are  unfit  for 
distant  transportation.  Early  apples  and  pears  only  will 
be  profitable  for  him,  because  the  autumn  and  winter  va- 
rieties can  be  sent  so  easily  from  the  most  distant  portions 
of  the  interior  with  such  facilities  as  our  present  system 
of  railroads,  plank  roads,  canals,  and  steamboats  afford. 
In  addition  to  early  apples  and  pears,  his  position  gives 
him  great  advantages  for  the  profitable  culture  of  all  the 
stone  fruits^  gooseberries^  currants^  raspberries^  grapes,^ 
and  such  soft  fruits,  when  intended  to  be  disposed  of  in  a 
raw  state. 

The  Market  grower  of  the  interior  will  find  his  most 
profitable  culture  to  be  principally,  autumn  and  winter 
apples  and  pears ^ to  which  he  may  add  quinces;  because 
all  these  can  be  packed  and  transported  to  a great  dis- 
tance with  safety,  and  the  comparative  cheapness  of  his 
lands  enables  him  to  compete  advantageously  with  those 
more  favorably  situated  in  regard  to  market.  He  can 
only  cultivate  the  summer  fruits  with  a view  to  drying 
or  preserving,  or  for  the  supply  of  a local  demand.  All 
orchard  fruits,  intended  for  profitable  orchard  culture, 
should  be  firsts  in  regard  to  the  trees,  hardy ^ vigorous^ 
and  productive.  The  fruits  should  be  of  good  size^  fai/r 
appea/rcmce^  good  keepers^  and  of  good  quality.  It  should 


166 


PERMAKENT  PLANTATIOira. 


be  borne  in  mind  that  many  of  the  very  best  fruits  are 
very  unprofitable  for  general  market  culture.  Under  cer- 
tain circumstances  this  may  not  be  the  case,  as  for  exam- 
ple, in  the  neighborhood  of  such  a city  as  London^  or 
Paris^  or  even  JS^ew  York  or  Boston,  A class  of  people 
are  to  be  found  in  such  places,  who  will  pay  almost  any 
price  for  extra  fine  fruits.  Where  apples  can  be  sold  for 
$2  per  bushel,  pears  at  $1  per  dozen,  grapes  at  $1  per 
pound,  and  other  fine  fruits  in  proportion,  growers  are 
warranted  in  cultivating  very  choice  sorts,  even  if  they 
be  difiicult  to  manage  and  comparatively  unproductive. 
As  a general  thing,  however,  taking  the  markets  as  they 
are,  the  great  bulk  of  consumers  preferring  fruit  of  toler- 
able good  quality  and  moderate  prices,  to  the  very  best 
at  twice  or  three  times  the  ordinary  price,  the  most 
profitable  varieties  will  be  those  that  can  be  produced  at 
the  least  expense,  provided  always  that  they  be  good  j foi 
fruits  of  a decidedly  inferior  quality,  whatever  may  be 
their  other  merits,  are  wholly  unworthy  of  cultivation  for 
the  market.  Another  thing  is  the  selection  of  varieties 
that  succeed  best  in  the  locality  where  they  are  to  be  cul- 
tivated. A variety  that  succeeds  remarkably  well  in  any 
particular  locality  should,  other  things  being  nearly  equal, 
be  cultivated  largely.  The  Newtown  pi^pjpin  apple,  foi 
instance,  is  a profitable  orchard  fruit  on  Long  Island  and 
on  the  Hudson,  but  in  Western  New  York,  no  system  ol 
management  would  make  it  yield  one-fourth  as  much  net 
profit  as  the  Northern  Rhode  Islcmd  Greening,^  oi 
Roxbury  Russet,  Large  plantations,  for  profit,  should 
always  be  made  up  of  well  proved  varieties,  that  have 
been  tested  in  the  locality,  or  one  similar  in  regard  to 
soil  and  situation.  A list  of  select  varieties  will  be  given 
in  a succeeding  and  separate  part  of  the  work. 

6th.  Selection  of  Trees, — For  the  farmer’s  orchard, 
where  the  ground  among  the  trees  is  to  be  cultivated 


THE  ORCHARD. 


167 


mainly  with  the  plough,  and  occasionally  cropped,  stand- 
ard trees,  with  stems  four  or  five  feet  in  height,  will  be 
the  most  eligible,  and  ought  to  be  at  time  of  planting 
three  or  four  years  old  from  the  bud  or  graft,  well  grown, 
with  stout,  straight,  well  proportioned  trunks.  Low,  stoul 
trees  are  always  preferable  to  tall,  slender  ones.  Inexpe- 
rienced planters  are  generally  more  particular  about  the 
height  than  the  diameter  of  the  trunk,  but  it  should  be 
just  the  other  way.  If  trees  are  stout,  and  have  good  roots, 
a foot  in  height  is  comparatively  unimportant,  unless  to 
one  who  wishes  to  turn  cattle  into  bis  orchard  and  have 
the  heads  of  his  trees  at  once  out  of  their  way.  Few  peo- 
ple, however,  follow  such  a practice.  Iii  very  elevated 
and  exposed  situations  low  trees  are  to  be  preferred,  as  the 
wind  does  not  strike  them  with  such  force  as  it  does  the 
tall  ones. 

7th.  Arrangement  of  the  Trees, — ^The  distance  between 
the  trees  in  an  apple  orchard  should  be  thirty  feet  from 
tree  to  tree  in  all  directions.  In  a very  strong  and  deep 
soil,  where  the  trees  attain  the  largest  size,  forty  feet  is 
not  too  much,  especially  after  the  first  fifteen  or  twenty 
years.  There  is  a great  difference  between  the  size  that 
different  varieties  attain,  and  in  their  habits  of  growth. 
One  will  attain  nearly  double  the  size  of  another  within 
ten  years.  Some  are  erect  in  their  habits  (as  fig.  3) ; oth- 
ers spreading  (as  fig.  5) ; a:id  it  will  add  greatly  to  the 
symmetry  of  the  plantation,  if  the  trees  of  the  same  size 
and  habit  of  growth  be  planted  together.  ' Yarieties  that 
ripen  about  the  same  time  should  also  be  planted  together, 
as  the  maturity  can  be  more  easily  watched  and  the  fruit 
gathered  with  much  less  inconvenience.  The  largest 
fruits  being  most  liable  to  be  blown  off,  should  be  placed 
in  the  least  exposed  quarter. 

The  ordinary  aiTangement  of  orchard  trees,  is  the 
square  or  regular  form,  in  rows  the  same  distance  apart, 


168 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


and  an  equal  distance  between  each  tree.  Thus,  in  plant- 
ing a square  of  one  hundred  feet,  for  example,  the  trees 
to  be  twenty-five  feet  apart,  we  commence  on  one  side, 
laying  a line  the  whole  length.  On  this  line  we  measure 
off  the  distances  for  the  trees,  and  place  a stake  indicat- 
ing the  point  for  the  tree.  Thus,  in  fig.  93,  we  have 
five  rows  of  five  trees  each,  making  twenty-five  in  all, 
and  all  twenty-five  feet  apart.  This  is  the  simplest,  and 
probably  the  best  for  very  small  orchards.  The  better 
plan  for  large  orchards  is  what  is  called  quincunx  (fig. 
94:),  in  which  the  trees  of  one  row  are  opposite  the  spaces 


Sk J 

^ \ 

1 

i 

i 

i i 

1 i\ 

It i. 

L-  i 

i 0 

1^ i 

b . 0 

/ 10  20  30  40  50 

L_J ^ I L._i_ 

93,  square  planting. 


Fig.  94,  quincunx  planting. 


in  the  next.  In  this  way,  although  the  trees  are  at  equal 
distances,  there  is  a larger  clear  area  around  each  tree. 
In  fig.  94:,  the  square  form,  every  tree  stands  in  the  corner 
of  a square  in  the  centre  of,  and  equally  distant  frorr 
four  others.  In  the  quincunx,  every  tree  stands  in  the 
angle  of  a ti^iangle  of  equal  sides,  and  in  the  centre  of, 
amd  equally  distant  from  sm  others.  Thus,  in  the  latter, 


TIIE  OKCHAED. 


169 


there  is  a greater  space  left  for  the  admission  of  light  and 
air,  and  trees  so  planted  may  be  at  less  distances  than  in 
the  other.  The  operation  of  planting  is  more  compli- 
cated than  tliat  of  the  square,  the  rows  not  being  the 
same  distance  apart  as  the  trees  are  in  the  row.  The 
first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  find  the  two  measures.  Sup- 
pose, for  instance,  we  propose  to  plant  a plot  of  ground 
one  hundred  feet  square,  and  to  have  the  trees  twenty- 
five  feet  apart  every  way,  we  make  a triangle  of  wood, 
A,  B,  D,  each  side  of  which  is  twenty-five  feet ; we  then 
measure  the  distance  from  the  angle  B to  the  centre  of 
the  opposite  side  at  C,  and  this  gives  us  the  distance  be- 
tween the  rows,  which  will  be  about  twenty-one  feet. 
This  will  be  called  the  small  measure ; and  with  this  we 
measure  otf  on  two  sides  the  distances  for  the  rows,  and 
put  down  a stake  at  each.  We  then  commence  on  the 
first  row,  and  with  the  long  (twenty-five  feet)  measure 
mark  otf  the  places  for  the  trees,  and  put  down  a stake  to 
each.  The  measurements  must  be  made  with  exactness, 
in  order  to  have  the  plantation  present  a regular  appear- 
ance, as  in  fig.  94r. 

8th.  SeleetiMi  of  Trees  far  the  MarTcet  or  Cammercml 
Orchard.~The  remarks  made  in  reference  to  the  selec- 
tion of  standard  trees  for  the  family  orchard,  may  be 
applied  with  equal  propriety  to  these;  but  the  orchardist 
must  be  supposed  to  have  invested  a considerable  amount 
ot  capital,  and  probably  devotes  his  entire  attention  to- 
his  trees,  and  depends  upon  them  for  his  support.  It  is 
therefore,  a great  object  with  him  to  have  early  returns' 
m the  form  of  products.  An  orchard  of  standard  apples 
will  not  produce  any  considerable  quantity  of  fmit  before 
the  eighth  or  tenth  year,  nor  pears  before  the  twelfth  or 
fatteenth  year.  In  the  mean  time,  it  is  highly  desirable 
to  occupy  the  ground  amongst  the  trees  in  some  way  that 
will  at  least  bear  the  expenses  of  cultivation.  If  this 
8 


170 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


can  be  done,  it  is  as  mncb  as  can  be  expected  in  the 
usual  practice  of  cultivating  root  crops.  The  most  pro- 
fitable manner  of  turning  to  account  the  spaces  between 
the  standard  trees  for  the  first  ten  or  twelve  years  at 
least,  is  to  plant  them  with  dwarf  and  pyramidal  trees,  or 
dwarf  standards,  that  will  commence  bearing  the  third  or 
fourth  year  after  planting.  This  is  the  course  pursued  by 
the  orchardists  of  France  and  Belgium,  where  land  is 
valuable,  and  the  cultivators  are  compelled  to  turn  every 
inch  of  it  to  the  best  account.  Attention  has  been 
slightly  called  to  this  mode  of  management  in  this 
country,  and  a few  persons  have  already  carried  it  into 
practice.  As  soon  as  it  comes  to  be  considered,  it  cannot 
fail  to  recommend  itself  to  those  who  are  embarking 
extensively  in  the  orchard  culture  of  fruits  for  the 
market,  on  high-priced  lands.  It  is  only  surprising  that 
it  should  ha\  e been  so  long  overlooked  by  shrewd  and 
enterprising  orchardists.  An  acre  of  land,  for  example, 
planted  with  standard  apple  trees,  at  thirty  feet  apart, 
contains  forty-five  to  fifty;  and  if  we  fill  up  the  spaces 
with  dwarfs  on  paradise,  at  six  feet  apart,  leaving  ten 
feet  clear  around  each  standard,  we  get  in  about  five 
hundred  dwarf  trees.  These  will  bear  the  third  year, 
and  during  the  next  five  years  the  average  value  of  their 
products  will  be  at  least  twenty  to  fifty  cents  each.  We 
would  plant  them  in  sitch  a way  that  the  plough  and 
cultivator  could  be  used  among  them,  two  dwarfs  be- 
tween each  standard,  and  two  full  rows  between  each 
row  of  standards,  as  in  fig.  95. 

In  very  rich  and  deep  soil,  when  it  may  be  necessary 
to  give  the  standards  thirty-five  or  forty  feet,  there  may 
be  two  pyramidal,  or  low  standards,  on  the  Doucain 
stock  between  two  standards,  and  one  row  of  pyramids 
and  two  rows  of  dwarfs  between  two  rows  of  standards 


THE  OKCHAUD. 


171 


fn  seven  or  eight  years  the  dwarfs  might  be  taken  out, 
and  the  pyramids  remain  till  the  twelfth  year. 

Orchards  of  standard  pears  may,  in  the  same  manner, 
be  filled  up  with  dwarf  and  pyramidal  trees  on  the  quince. 
Standard  pears  do  not  require  so  much  space  as  apples^ 
their  branches  generally  are  more  erect.  In  this  country 


50  100  eoo 


Fio.  9o.  Fi«.  96. 

95.  orchard  of  standard  and  dwarf  apple  trees.  Fig  96,  orchard  o 
standard  and  dwarf  or  pyramidal  pears. 

standard  pears  should  not  have  naked  trunks  over  four 
feet  high  at  most,  and  twenty-five  feet  apart  is  quite  suf- 
ficient ; at  this  distance  an  acre  will  contain  about  seventy 
trees.  These,  as  a general  thing,  will  not  begin  to  bear 
until  the  tenth  year,  unless  artificial  means  be  resorted  to. 
By  putting  one  pyramid,  or  low  standard,  between  each 
in  the  same  row,  and  a row  ten  feet  apart  between  each 
row  of  standards,  as  in  fig.  96,  we  can  plant  250  dwarfs,, 
or  pyramids,  that  will  commence  bearing  the  third  year, 
and  will  be  in  full  bearing  the  fifth ; yielding  not  Jess 
on  an  average  than  $1  to  $2  per  tree. 


172 


PEEMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


To  give  trees  a perfectly  pyramidal  form  requires  con 
Biderable  care  and  skill  in  their  management.  This  will  be 
spoken  of  presently  in  treating  of  the  fruit  garden ; but 
very  beautiful  and  prolific  low  standards  may  be  made  on 
the  quince,  with  stems  about  two  feet  high,  and  the  heads 
above  that  point  left  to  branch  in  their  natural  way. 
Trees  of  this  form  bear  full  as  soon  as  the  pyramids,  be- 
cause they  are  pruned  less ; they  may  always  be  relied 
upon  for  a crop  the  second  or  third  year  alter  planting. 
We  have  gathered  upwards  of  fifty  large  and  perfect  spe- 
cimens from  trees  four  years  old,  and  many  had  been 
thinned  off.  Trees  of  the  white  Doyenne  have  produced 
upwards  of  twenty  very  large  specimens  the  third  year, 
from  the  bud.  Fig.  97  is  a portrait  of  a four-year-old  Louise 
Bonne  de  Jersey,  on  quince,  never  pruned. 

In  selecting  pears  on  the 
quince  for  profitable  orchard 
culture  among  standards,  va- 
rieties should  be  chosen  that 
succeed  particularly  well  on 
the  quince,  such  as  Louise 
lorme  de  Jersey^  Duchess 
d'^ Angouleme^  Beurre^  Diel^ 

Ba/rtlett^  White  Doyenne^  Vir 
cdT  of  Winhfield^  GloutMov- 
ceau^  Easter  Beurre^  &c.,  &c. 

All  these,  and  many  others 
that  will  be  named  hereafter, 
grow  vigorously,  bear  early, 
and  produce  larger,  and  in 
all  respects  finer  fruit  on  the 
quince  than  on  the  pear. 

B.  Parsons,  Esq.,  of  Flushing, 

Long  Island,  of  the  well  known  nursery  firm  of  rarsons  ® 
Co.,  has  planted  an  orchard  of  four  acres  with  440  stand 


FIQ.  97. 

Half  standard  pear  tree  on  quince. 


THE  OECHAED.  173 

ard  pears  at  twenty  feet  apart,  and  among  these  he  planted 
pears  on  quince  ten  feet  apart,  which  gives  him  i 320, 
making  the  whole  number  1760  on  the  four  acres.  The 
ground  he  selected  was  an  old  pasture  with  a light  loamy 
soil,  but  not  inclining  to  sand,  and  a subsoil  of  hard  pan. 
This  he  planted  with  corn  until  the  ground  was  well  mel- 
lowed, and  then  put  in  two  sloop  loads,  or  3000  bushels 
of  stable  manure,  worth  on  the  ground  $175.  The  first 
year  after  planting  he  cropped  the  orchard  with  com,  but 
found  it  injurious  to  the  trees;  since  that  he  has  cropped 
It  with  potatoes  and  sugar  beets  alternately,  and  with  good 
management  these  can  be  made  to  pay  for  the  manure 
and  sometimes  the  labor.  All  those  on  their  own  root’ 
except  one  row,  are  the  Lawrence^  a native  Long  Island 
variety,  and  those  on  the  quince  the  Olout  Morcecm 
Vicar  of  Wmkfelf  Louise  Bonne  de  Jersey^  Winter  We- 
lls, Lawrence,  and  Beiirre  d’Arremberg.  He  adds,  that 
at  the  time  of  writing,  December  10,  1850,  some  of 
tlie  V icar  of  Winkfield  trees  planted  in  1819,  had  fifty  tc 

expects  them  to  produce 
the  fifth  year  fi’om  planting,  one  dollar  per  tree.  "Within 
t e past  two  years,  several  extensive  plantations,  wholly 
of  peam  on  the  quince,  have  been  made,  and  considering 
the  quick  return  they  yield,  their  prolific  nature,  and  the 
numbOT  of  trees  that  can  be  planted  on  a small  space  of 
ground  they  cannot  fail,  under  good  management,  to 
prove  ighly  profitable.  Peach  trees  should  be  thrifty 
yearlings  that  have  not  been  pruned  up  during  the  sum- 
mer  the  side  branches  having  been  shortened  only,  and 
regulated  by  pinching.  At  the  time  of  planting  they  may 
p.-uned  «p,  « to  loove  three  feet  of  a clean  stem 
ey  may  be  set  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  feet,  and  even 

a '■eads  are 

oea  I,  ^ as  will  be  directed  hereafter.  The 

peach  grows  so  rapidly,  and  commences  to  bear  so  soon! 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


m 

it  would  not  be  advisable  to  plant  any  fruit  trees  in  the 
spaces,  unless  currants  or  gooseberries ; a row  or  two  of 
which  might  be  put  between  two  rows  of  the  peaches  for 
the  first  four  or  five  years  after  planting.  Standavd  cher- 
ries on  mazzard  stocks  should  not  be  over  two  years  old 
from  the  bud,  with  stems  five  feet  high.  In  the  west  and 
south,  where  the  trees  are  subject  to  the  bursting  of  the 
bark  on  the  trunk,  it  is  advisable  to  have  the  trees 
branched  as  near  the  ground  as  possible  ^ and  in  such 
cases  the  JKahalei  stoch  is  better  than  the  mazzard,  as 
it  makes  lower,  more  compact,  and  fertile  trees.  Or- 
chards of  pyramidal,  or  low  dwarfs,  on  the  Mahaleb  may 
be  planted  at  twelve  feet  apart,  or  the  ground  may  be 
more  compactly  filled  by  planting  standards  and  dwarfs 
alternately,  as  in  the  case  of  the  pears. 

Apricots  on  peach  stocks  may  be  planted  in  the  same 
soil,  and  should  be  of  the  same  age  and  character  as  the 
peaches.  On  plum  stocks  they  are  better  adapted  to 
heavy  soils,  num  trees  foi'  orchard  standaids  should  be 
about  two  years  old  from  the  bud  or  graft,  with  sterns^ 
about  three  feet  high.  The  stone  fruits  in  particular 
should  have  low  stems,  as  they  are  more  subject  to  the 
gum  on  the  trunk  if  pruned  up  high.  They  may  be  planted 
at  fifteen  feet  apart,  the  same  as  peaches  and  apricots. 
Quinces  should  be  two  years  old  at  least,  and  may  be 
three  from  the  layer,  cutting,  or  bud,  with  a stem  two  feet 
high,  clear  of  branches : they  may  be  planted  twelve  feet 
apart,  which  gives  about  300  to  the  acre. 

9th.  Pruning  end  Prepcvring  the  Trees  fen'  Planting. 
When  a tree  is  taken  up  from  the  nursery,  it  unavoidably 
loses  some  of  its  roots,  and  others  are  moie  oi  less  muti- 
lated ; the  roots  frequently  suffer,  too,  by  long  carriage  or 
exposure,  and  in  this  state  it  is  unable  to  support  the 
entire  head  as  it  came  from  the  nursery.  This  has  been 
previously  explained.  In  order  that  a tree  may  gi’ow,  it 


THE  ORCHARD. 


175 


is  necessary  that  a balance  should  exist  between  the  stem 
or  branches  and  the  root ; consequently,  when  a tree  is 
transplanted,  its  branches  should  be  reduced  by  shorten- 
ing so  as  to  correspond  with  the  roots.  A standard  tree 
that  has  four  or  five  branches  forming  a head,  should  be 
pruned  at  the  time  of  planting  to  within  three  or  four 
buds  of  the  base  of  each  of  the  branches.  These  remain- 
ing buds,  receiving  all  the  nourishment,  will  push  vigor- 
ously ; whilst  if  the  branches  had  been  allowed  to  remain 
entire,  they  would  have  required  a greater  supply  of  food 
than  the  roots  could  have  furnished,  and  the  tree  would 
either  have  died  or  made  a very  feeble  growth.  Every 
bud  we  leave  on  the  top  of  a tree,  will  produce  either 
leaves  or  shoots,  and  these  are  so  many  new  individuals 
requiring  sustenance.  If  we  leave  on  one  hundred,  it  is 
plain  the  demand  will  be  much  greater  than  if  we  leave 
only  twenty.  The  roots  must  be  dressed  by  cutting  back 
all  bruised  points  to  the  sound  wood,  with  a smooth  cut 
on  the  under  side  of  the  root.  Trees  thus  prepared  are 
ready  for  planting. 

10th.  Planting  Orchards. — When  the  soil  has  been 
thoroughly  prepared  by  subsoil  ploughing,  or  trenching 
and  manuring  the  season  previous,  the  planting  is  a sim- 
ple matter,  but  if  this  has  not  been  done,  planting  properly 
requires  considerable  labor  ; for  large  holes  three  or  four 
feet  wide  and  two  feet  deep  must  be  dug  for  the  trees, 
and  the  requisite  composts  procured  to  be  mixed  with  the 
earth  in  which  the  roots  are  to  be  placed.  Whatever  ma- 
nures be  applied  at  this  time  should  be  perfectly  decom 
posed ; as,  if  fresh  and  warm,  they  wull  burn  the  roots.  Trees 
are  often  killed  in  this  way.  The  planting  offers  an  excel- 
lent opportunity  for  supplying  any  defects  in  the  soil ; for 
instance,  if  too  compact,  sand,  leaf  mould,  muck,  &c.,  may 
be  added  to  render  it  more  porous  ; and  if  too  light,  clay, 
etifi*  loam,  ashes,  &c.,  may  be  added  to  make  it  more 


176 


PERMANENT  PLAOTATI0N8. 


retentive.  The  proper  way  to  furnish  these  materials  is 
to  dig  large  holes  and  put  a good  bed,  twelve  to  eighteen 
inches  deep,  of  the  compost  in  the  bottom  under  the  trees. 
Lime  should  form  a part  of  all  composts,  and  especially 
for  the  apple  and  pear  ; half  a peck  may  be  mixed  with 
the  bed  of  each  tree  in  soil  not  naturally  calcareous.  In 
digging  the  holes,  the  good  surface  soil  should  be  laid  on 
one  side,  so  that  it  can  be  used  to  fill  in  among  the  roots, 
and  for  this  purpose  it  should  be  as  finely  pul  verized  as 
possible. 

When  the  compost  has  been  laid  in  the  bottom  of  the 
hole,  and  a layer  of  fine  surface  soil  spread  over  it,  so  as 
to  be  highest  in  the  centre,  the  tree  is  set  on  it,  so  that 
when  the  planting  is  finished,  the  collar  will  be  about  two 
inches  below  the  surface.  In  the  case  of  trees  on  dwarf 
stocks,  such  as  pears  on  quince,  all  the  stock  must  be  under 
the  ground.  The  roots  must  be  carefully  adjusted  so  that 
each  one  is  spread  out  in  its  natural  position ; the  fine 
earth  is  then  filled  in  amongst  them  so  that  no  vacancies 
will  be  left ; the  upper  roots  should  be  held  back  by  the 
person  who  holds  the  tree  until  the  lower  ones  are  covered. 
When  the  filling  in  is  half  done,  it  may  be  gently  trodden 
down  with  the  foot,  so  as  to  give  the  tree  a firmer  hold  of 
the  ground.  In  advanced  spring  planting,  a pail  of  water 
might  be  given  to  each  tree  when  the  earth  is  filled  partly 
in;  at  other  times  it  is  unnecessary,  if  not  injurious. 

11th.  Staking. — Where  the  trees  are  large,  or  the  situa- 
tion is  exposed,  either  one  or  two  stakes  should  be  planted 
with  each  tree,  to  which  it  must  be  kept  fastened  for  the 
first  season,  until  the  roots  have  fixed  themselves  in  the 
ground.  A proper  provision  must  be  made  to  prevent  the 
tree  from  rubbing  or  chafing  against  the  stake.  When 
two  stakes  are  used  it  may  be  fastened  to  each  in  such  a 
way  as  not  to  rub  against  either. 

12th.  Mulching.  This  should  be  looked  upon  as  an 


THE  ORCHARD. 


177 


indispensable  operation  in  all  cases.  It  consists  in  laying 
on  the  surftice  of  the  ground,  around  the  trees,  to  the  dis- 
tance of  three  feet  or  so,  a covering  of  half  decomposed 
manure,  saw  dust,  spent  tan-bark,  &c.,  two  or  three  inches 
deep.  This  prevents  the  moisture  of  the  soil  from  evapo- 
rating, and  maintains  a uniformity  of  heat  and  moisture 
which  is  highly  favorable  to  the  formation  of  new  roots. 
It  also  prevents  the  growth  of  weeds  around  the  tree,  and 
obviates  the  necessity  of  hoeing,  dressing,  or  watering, 
during  the  season.  We  frequently  practise  it  among  nur- 
sery rows  of  late  spring-planted  trees  with  great  advan- 
tage. A deep  mulching  should  always  be  given  to  fall- 
planted  trees  to  prevent  the  frost  from  penetrating  to  the 
roots  or  drawing  up  the  tree. 

13th.  After-management  of  Orchard  Trees, — ^This  con- 
sists in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  among  the  trees,  and 
pruning  them  to  regulate  their  growth.  For  the  first  five 
or  six  years  after  planting,  the  ground  among  orchard 
trees  may  be  advantageously  cropped  with  potatoes,  ruta- 
bagas, or  sugar  beets.  The  manuring  and  culture  that 
these  roots  require,  keep  the  soil  in  good  condition,  and 
will  assist  in  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  orchard. 
Grain  crops  should  never  be  planted  among  trees,  as  they 
deprive  them  of  air  to  a very  injurious  extent.  If  no 
root  crops  are  cultivated,  the  ground  should  be  kept  clean 
and  mellow  with  the  one  horse  plough  and  cultivator,  the 
same  as  recommended  for  nursery  culture.  Every  third 
or  fourth  year,  the  trees  should  receive  a dressing  of  well- 
decomposed  manure  or  compost  adapted  to  the  wants  of 
the  soil  and  the  tree,  worked  in  around  the  roots  with  the 
forked  spade.  This  should  always  be  done  in  the  fall. 
Dwarf  apples  and  pears  require  more  frequent  and  libe- 
ral manuring  than  standards,  because  their  roots  occupy  a 
limited  space ; their  heads  are  large  compared  with  the 
roots,  and  they  bear  exhausting  crops.  TVHioever  has  a 


178 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


Iar2;e  plantation  of  these  trees,  should  be  well  provided 
with  heaps  of  compost  a jeav  old,  and  give  each  tree  a 
peck  to  half  a bushel  before  the  setting  in  of  winter 
every  year.  This  will  maintain  their  vigor,  and  ensure 
large  and  regular  crops  of  fine  fruit.  Directions  for 
pruning  and  forming  the  heads  of  standard  trees,  will  be 
treated  of  under  the  general  head  of  pruning. 

Section  3. — ^The  Fruit  Garden. 

The  fruit  garden  is  a plantation  of  fruit  trees  intended 
to  supply  the  family  with  fruit.  In  some  cases,  where  a 
large  supply  of  fruit  is  wanted,  and  the  proprietor  has 
land  and  means  to  warrant  it,  a certain  portion  of  ground 
is  wholly  devoted  to  it ; and  in  others,  it  forms  a separate 
compartment  of  the  kitchen  garden,  or  is  mixed  with  it — 
the  fruit  trees  occupying  the  borders  or  outsides  of  the 
compartments,  and  the  culinary  vegetables  the  interior. 
The 'latter  is  most  general,  in  this  country,  at  the  present 
time.  In  a country  like  ours,  so  well  adapted  to  fruit 
culture,  where  almost  every  citizen  of  every  rank  and 
calling  not  only  occupies  but  owns  a garden,  and,  as  a 
general  thing,  possesses  sufficient  means  to  enable  him  to 
devote.it  to  the  culture  of  the  higher  and  better  class  of 
garden  productions,  the  fruit  garden  is  destined  to  be, 
if  it  is  not  already,  an  object  of  great  importance.  In 
the  old  countries  of  Europe,  the  rich  alone,  or  those  com- 
paratively so,  are  permitted  to  enjoy  such  luxury;  for 
land  is  so  dear  that  working  people  are  unable  to  pur- 
chase it,  and  if  they  are,  they  are  either  unable  to  stock 
it  with  trees,  or  their  necessities  compel  them  to  devote  it 
to  the  production  of  the  coarsest  articles  of  vegetable 
food  that  can  be  produced  in  the  greatest  bulk.  It  is  not 
BO  in  America.  Here  every  industrious  man,  at  the  age 
of  five-and-twenty,  whatever  may  be  his  pursuits,  may, 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


179 


if  lie  clioose,  he  the  proprietor  of  a garden  of  some  ex- 
tent, and  possess  sufficient  means  to  stock  it  with  the 
finest  fruits  of  the  land. 

The  present  actual  state  of  the  population  giv'es  abun- 
dant evidence  of  this  happy  and  prosperous  condition. 
Let  us  look  at  our  cities  and  villages.  In  Rochester, 
excepting  a narrow  circle  in  its  very  centre,  every  house 
has  its  garden,  varying  in  extent  from  twenty-five  by  one 
hundred  feet  to  an  acre  of  ground  ; and  not  one  of  these 
but  is  nearly  filled  with  fruit  trees  ; and  so  it  is,  but  on  a 
larger  scale,  in  all  the  villages  of  western  New  York — a 
section  of  country  in  which  the  first  white  man’s  settle 
ment  can  scarcely  date  back  over  fifty  years.  Aside 
from  the  beneficial  results  to  individual  and  public  health 
and  prosperity  from  this  general  union  of  the  fruit  garden 
and  the  dwelling,  it  cannot  fail  to  exercise  a softening 
and  refining  influence  on  the  tastes,  habits,  and  manners 
of  the  ]3eople,  and  greatly  strengthen  their  love  of  home 
and  country. 

.The  great  thing  wanting  at  this  moment,  is  a knowledge 
of  the  correct  method  of  planting  and  managing  fruit 
gardens.  We  cannot  pass  along  the  streets  a rod,  where 
there  is  a garden,  without  seeing  and  feeling  that  three 
fourths  of  the  profit  and  pleasure  which  gardens  might 
afford,  are  sacrificed  to  bad  management,  arising,  in  the 
main,  from  ignorance  of  the  proper  modes  of  culture 
adapted  to  such  limited  grounds  ; and  it  is  hoped  that  the 
suggestions  and  plans  offered  in  the  following  detail  of 
fruit  garden  management,  may  afford  at  least  a portion 
of  the  information  wanted. 

The  t(  ?rmation  of  a fruit  garden  requires  a consideration 
of  the  soil^  situation^  enclosures^  laying  out^  selection  of 
tt'ees^  selection  of  rarieties^  and  planting, 

1st.  The  Situation. — This  is  generally  governed  by  the 
particular  circumstances  of  the  proprietor,  those  only 


180 


PEKMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


wlio  build  with  reference  to  the  location  of  the  garden,  o” 
who  have  a large  domain  at  their  disposal,  having  an 
opportunity  of  selection  to  any  considerable  extent.  Per. 
sons  who  live  in  cities  and  villages,  have  to  make  the 
best  of  their  situation.  As  it  is,  if  it  be  exposed,  they  can 
only  give  it  protection  by  lofty  enclosures,  that  will  break 
the  force  of  the  winds.  The  aspect  they  cannot  alter,  and 
must  adapt  other  circumstances  to  it.  Those  who  can 
should  select  a situation  convenient  enough  to  the  dwell- 
ing, to  render  it  at  all  times  easy  of  access,  in  order  to 
save  time  and  labor  in  going  to  and  from  it.  It  should 
also  be  sheltered  from  the  north  and  west  winds.  Tlie 
former  are  destructive  to  the  blossoms  in  spring,  and  the 
latter  frequently  blow  otf  the  fruit  before  its  maturity. 
In  sections  of  the  country  subject  to  late  spring  frosts,  an 
elevated  situation  is  to  be  preferred,  as  in  the  case  of 
orchards.  A full  eastern  or  southern  aspect  should  be 
avoided,  because  in  them  the  sun’s  rays  strike  the  trees 
while  the  frost  is  upon  them,  and  produce  injuries  that 
would  be  avoided  in  other  aspects.  Where  artificial 
shelter  is  required,  a belt  of  rapid-growing  trees,  com- 
posed of  evergreens  and  deciduous  trees  mixed,  should  be 
planted  on  the  exposed  side,  but  at  such  a distance  as  to 
obviate  any  difficulty  that  might  arise  from  the  injurious 
effects  of  shade,  or  from  the  roots  entering  the  garden. 
Such  a belt  of  trees  might,  at  the  same  time,  be  made  to 
impart  a pleasing  and  highly  ornamental  appearance  to 
the  grounds. 

2d.  The  Soil  is  a most  important  consideration.  As  in 
a garden  a general  collection  of  all  the  fruits  is  to  be 
grown,  and  that  in  the  highest  state  of  perfection,  the  soil 
should  be  of  that  character  in  its  texture,  depth,  and 
quality,  best  adapted  to  general  purposes.  It  should  not 
only  be  suitable  for  the  apple  and  the  pear,  but  for  the 
peach,  the  cherry,  and  the  plum — a good,  deep,  friable 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


181 


loam,  with  a gravelly  clay  subsoil,  and  entirely  free  from 
stagnant  moisture.  In  this  country,  our  warm  summers, 
and  frequent,  protracted  droughts,  render  a deep  soil  for  a 
garden  absolutely  necessary.  Two  feet  is  little  enough, 
and  three  would  be  still  better.  The  means  for  deepening, 
drying,  improving,  and  changing  the  character  of  soils 
have  been  already  pointed  out  under  the  general  head  of 
soils,  and  need  not  be  repeated  here.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  it  will  always  be  found  true  economy  to  be  liberal  in 
the  first  preparation  of  the  soil ; for  after  a garden  is  laid 
out  and  permanently  planted,  improvements  are  always 
made  with  greater  difficulty  and  expense. 

Endosures. — The  cheapest  and  most  ordinary  kind  of 
enclosure  for  gardens  in  this  country,  is  the  tight  board 
fence,  and  the  j)icket  or  paling  fence.  The  former  should 
be  made  of  stout  cedar  posts,  set  at  six  feet  apart,  and 
three  or  four  feet  in  the  ground,  the  ends  being  previously 
charred  to  increase  their  durability,  connected  in  the  mid- 
dle and  on  the  top  with  cross-bars  or  rails  which  may  be 
two  by  four  inches.  The  boards  should  be  well  seasoned, 
matched,  and  securely  nailed  to  the  cross-bars.  Where  the 
fence  is  required  to  be  higher  than  the  posts,  the  boards 
can  extend  above  the  top  rail  two,  three,  or  even  four 
feet,  if  necessary.  The  picket  or  paling  fence  is  made  in 
the  same  way,  as  far  as  the  framework,  posts,  and  cross- 
bars go ; but,  instead  of  matched  boards,  pickets,  from 
three  to  six  inches  wide,  and  pointed  on  the  top,  are  used, 
and  a space  of  two  inches  left  between  each.  Where  the 
proprietor  can  afford  the  expense  of  a brick  or  stone  wall, 
it  will  prove  the  most  permanent,  and,  in  the  end,  the 
cheapest  enclosure.  The  height  of  the  fence  or  wall 
depends  somewhat  on  the  extent  of  the  garden.  In  ordi- 
nary cases,  eight  or  ten  feet  is  the  proper  height,  but  when 
the  garden  is  very  small,  five  or  six  feet  is  enough ; and 


182 


PEEMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


the  open  paling  will  he  preferable  except  on  the  north 
side,  to  the  tight  board  fence,  as  it  offers  less  obstruction 
to  the  air  and  light.  A high  fence  around  a very  small 
garden,  besides  being  injurious  to  vegetation  in  it,  looks 
quite  out  of  character,  giving  to  it  the  appearance  of  a 
huge  box.  Live  hedges,  as  recommended  for  orchards, 
might  be  employed  around  country  gardens  of  considera- 
ble extent,  say  an  acre  or  upwards,  but  they  require  to  be 
kept  in  the  neatest  possible  condition. 

Trellises.' — In  England,  and  other  parts  of  Europe, 
where  the  summer  temperature  is  not  so  high  as  it  is  here, 
espalier  trees  are  trained  directly  on  the  garden  walls  or 
fence  ; but  our  hot  sun  renders  this  unsafe,  except  in  the 
case  of  the  grape,  or  on  the  north  sides  of  the  walls.  The 
sun  strikes  the  south  side  of  a fence  with  such  force  that 
the  foliage  in  contact  with  it  is  burned.  It  is  therefore 
necessary,  where  the  walls  or  fences  are  to  be  occupied 
with  espaliers,  to  erect  suitable  trellises  at  the  distance  of 
six  to  twelve  inches  from  them,  on  which  to  train  the  trees  ; 
the  form  of  these  differs  according  to  the  nature  of  the  sub- 
ject to  be  trained.  They  are  generally  made  of  upright 
and  cross  bars,  of  inch  boards  three  inches  wide,  placed 
within  six  to  twelve  inches  of  each  other,  according  to  the 
growth  of  the  species ; the  larger  the  foliage  and  the 
longer  the  shoots,  the  greater  may  be  the  distances ; thus, 
the  grape  twelve  inches,  and  the  peach  eight.  Sometimes 
they  are  constructed  of  wooden  bars  and  wire  rods  alter- 
nately ; these  answer  a good  purpose  for  the  grape,  as  it 
fixes  itself  to  the  wires  by  the  tendrils.  The  trellis  is  fast- 
ened to  the  wall  by  iron  hooks,  and  should  stand  a little 
farther  from  it  at  the  bottom  than  at  the  top,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  the  tree  a better  exposure  to  the  sun,  rain, 
&c.  Fruits  are  grown  so  successfully  in  this  country  in 
the  open  ground  that  walls  or  trellises  are  seldom  used, 


THE  FRUrr  GARDEN. 


183 


except  to  economize  space.  In  the  north,  however,  where 
the  more  tender  fruits  do  not  succeed  in  the  open  ground, 
walls  may  be  advantageously  employed,  as  the  trees 
ti’ained  on  them  are  easily  protected  both  from  winter  and 
spring  frosts. 

Laying  out  the  Fruit  Garden,— is  the  arrange- 
ment or  distribution  of  the  ground  into  suitable  plots  or 
compartments,  necessary  walks,  etc.  The  mode  of  doing 
this  depends  on  the  size  of  the  garden,  and  the  manner  in 
wdiich  it  is  to  be  planted.  Fruit  gardens,  properly  speak- 
ing, are  such  as  are  wholly  devoted  to  fruits ; but  a very 
common  form,  as  has  been  already  observed,  is  the  mixed 
garden,  where  a portion  only  is  devoted  to  fruits,  and 
the  remainder  to  culinary  vegetables.  We  will  first  con- 
sider 

The  Fruit  Garden  proper, — In  all  fruit  gardens  the 
number  of  w^alks  should  be  no  greater  than  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  convenience.  In  small  places  the  better 
plan  appears  to  be,  to  carry  the  principal  walk  around 
the  outside,  leaving  as  much  as  possible  of  the  interior, 
where  air  and  light  are  enjoyed  to  the  greatest  extent,  for 
the  trees.  A border  should  be  left  between  the  fence  and 
the  walk,  of  sufficient  width  for  the  trees  to  be  trained  on 
the  fence  trellis.  If  appearances  were  to  be  strictly  ob- 
served, this  border  should  be  as  wide  as  the  fence  is  high, 
but  as  a general  thing  five  to  six  feet  will  be  sufficient ; 
and  where  ground  is  limited,  appearance  must  in  many 
cases  be  sacrificed  to  economy.  Where  the  work  is  all 
performed  by  manual  labor,  the  walks  need  not  be  more 
than  five  to  six  feet  wide,  as  that  admits  of  the  passage  of 
a wheelbarrow  ; and  this  is  all  that  is  required. 

Fig.  98  is  a design  for  a very  small  garden  fifty  feet  by 
one  hundred.  A is  the  entrance  gate,  four  feet  wide : 
S,  a walk  five  feet  wide ; (7,  C\  fence  border^  six  feet 


184 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


^*de.  The  rows  of  trees  are  eight  feet  apart.  The  py- 
ramidal pears 
"3]  and  cherries, 

Nos.  1,  2,  3, 
and  4,  at  seven 
feet  apart  in 
the  row.  Nos.  5 
and  6,  dwarf  ap- 
ples, at  four  feet 
apart.  No.  7, 
pyramidal  or 
dwarf  standard 
plums,  at  seven 
feet.  Nos.  8, 
® 9,  and  10,  low 

fe  standard  peach- 

es, at  ten  feet 
“ apart,  the  out- 

side ones  four 
feet  from  the 
walk.  Nos.  11, 
12,  13,  and  14, 
~ low  standard 

quinces,  etc. 
- Nos.  15,  16,17, 

; 18,  19,  and  20, 

j espaliers,  apri- 

cots, g‘rapes,etc. 
One  border  is 
filled  with  gooseberries  and  currants,  the  other  can  be 
occupied  wdth  raspberries  and  strawberries.  This  ar- 
rangement gives  in  this  little  garden  twenty  pyramidal 
trees,  thirteen  standards,  twelve  dwarfs,  six  espaliers, 
besides  space  enough  for  two  dozen  currants,  two  dozen 
gooseberries,  two  dozen  raspberries,  etc.  For  several  years 


TirE  FKTjrr  garden. 


185 


a few  strawberries  and  low  vegetables,  sncb  as  lettuce, 
radishes,  beets,  carrots,  turnips,  or  even  dwa/rf  peas,  may 
be  grown  in  the  spaces  among  the  trees,  but  in  no  case  to 
be  permitted  nearer  than  within  three  feet  of  the  tree. 

A walk  through  the  centre  would  be  necessary,  and 
this  should  be  ten  feet  wide,  and  there  should  be  a turn- 
ing place  left  at  the  end  opposite  the  entrance. 

The  mixed^  or  fruit  and  Tcitohen  garden^  is  laid  out  in  a 
similar  manner ; the  trees  are  planted  in  rows  on  a bor- 
der six  to  ten  feet  wide,  according  to  the  size  of  the  trees, 
along  the  walks,  leaving  the  interior  of  the  compartments 
for  vegetables.  This  arrangement  is  a very  common  one, 
and  generally  answers  a very  good  purpose ; but  where 
it  is  practicable,  it  is  much  better  to  devote  a separate  por- 
tion exclusively  to  fruit,  in  cider  that  the  one  may  not  in 
any  way  interfere  with  the  ether.  In  such  a garden,  the 
number  of  the  walks,  and  consequently  fruit  borders, 
will  depend  upon  the  proportion  of  the  ground  intended 
to  be  allotted  to  fruit,  and  this  again  will  be  regulated  by 
the  means,  tastes,  and  demands  of  the  family. 

Fig.  99  (see  frontispiece)  is  the  plan  of  a mixed  fruit 
and  kitchen  garden,  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide  by 
two  hundred  long,  being  one  hundred  and  ten  square  rods, 
somewhat  less  than  three  quarters  of  an  acre.  The  de- 
sign is  to  have  two  tree  borders  exclusive  of  the  outside 
or  fence  border.  The  centre  main  walk  from  A to  (7,  is 
ten  feet  wide.  That  crossing  it  in  the  centre  six  feet 
wide.  The  small  walk  next  the  fence  border  four  feet 
wide,  and  that  between  the  two  tree  borders  five  feet.  The 
fence  border  is  six  feet  wide,  and  may  be  planted  with 
espalier  trees,  vines,  etc.,  besides  currants,  raspberries, 
strawberries,  or  anything  of  low"  growth,  not  requiring  the 
fullest  exposure.  The  tree  borders  are  all  eight  feet  wide, 
except  the  dwarf  apple  border,  which  is  only  six.  The 
outside  border  is  planted  oix  the  two  sides  with  low  stand- 


186 


PEEMAlfENT  PLANTATIONS. 


ard  peaches,  apricots,  plums,  quinces,  etc.,  at  twelve  feet 
apart,  and  the  two  ends  with  pyramids  at  eight  feet. 

The  inside  borders  are  planted  with  pyramids  and 
dwarfs,  the  former  at  eight,  and  the  latter  at  six  feet 
apart.  A,  is  the  entrance ; B,  well  or  cistern ; G,  a space 
to  turn  a horse  and  cart  upon.  This  arrangement  gives 
thirty  standard  trees,  eighty-three  pyramids,  and  forty 
dwarfs,  leaving  clear  the  outside  border  over  six  hundred 
and  sixty  feet  long  and  six  wide,  and  the  four  interior 
compartments  each  about  thirty  by  sixty  feet.  In  crop- 
ping the  latter  with  vegetables,  they  may  be  divided  as 
in  the  design  into  narrow  beds  three  or  four  feet  wide, 
separated  by  paths  eighteen  inches  wide. 

WaXks  m,  the,  Fruit  Garden.— number  of  these,  as 
has  been  remarked,  should  be  simply  sufficient  for  con- 
ducting the  operations  of  gardening  with  convenience  ■ 
this  being  provided  for,  the  fewer  the  better.  Where 
horse  labor  is  employed,  the  main  walk,  either  through 
the  centre  or  around  the  sides,  should  be  nine  or  ten  feet 
wide.  Where  manual  labor  alone  is  employed,  as  in 
small  gardens,  five  or  six  feet  will  be  sufficient,  and  even 
four  feet,  as  that  admits  of  the  passage  of  a wheel-barrow. 
Between  each  compartment,  or  line  of  trees,  there  should 
also  be  a path  two  or  three  feet  wide,  as  a passage  for  the 
gardener  or  workmen,  and  others  who  may  desire  to 
inspect  the  trees.  Where  the  expense  can  be  affordec^ 
the  mains  walk  should  be  gravelled  so  as  to  be  dry  and 
comfortable  at  all  seasons  and  in  every  state  of  the  we^ 
ther  • for  it  is  presumed  that  every  man  who  has  a trait 
garden,  worthy  of  the  name,  will  wish  to  visit  it  almost 
daily  and  so  will  the  members  of  his  family  and  his 
friends  who  visit  him.  The  labor  and  expense  of  making 
a walk  depends  upon  the  nature  of  the  soil.  If  dry, 
with  a porous  subsoil,  absorbing  water  rapidly,  six 
inches  of  good  pit  gravel,  slightly  rounded  on  the  top 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


187 


will  be  sufficient.  If  the  soil  be  damp,  and  the  subsofi 
compact,  it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  the  earth  to  the 
depth  of  a foot  in  the  centre,  and  rising  towards  the  sides, 
so  that  the  excavation  will  resemble  a semicircle  ; this  is 
filled  with  small  stones  and  a few  inches  of  good  pit  gravel 
on  the  top.  Tliis  makes  a walk  dry  at  all  times.  We 
often  see  very  comfortable  and  neat  looking  walks,  made 
of  spent  bark  from  the  tannery ; six  inches  deep  of  this 
will  last  two  or  three  years,  and  no  excavation  is  neces- 
sary in  any  kind  of  soil.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  so 
great  expense  will  be  incurred,  in  any  case,  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  walks  of  a fruit  or  kitchen  garden,  as  those  of 
a pleasure  ground  or  flower  garden,  and,  therefore,  it  is 
unnecessary  to  suggest  either  costly  modes  or  materials. 
The  chief  point  is  to  secure  dry,  comfortable  walking, 
without  introducing  any  material  that  will  produce  a 
decidedly  unpleasant  contrast  wflth  vegetation.  This  can 
all  be  accomplished  by  the  cheap  and  simple  means 
referred  to,  and  others  that  may  suggest  themselves. 

The  main  wnlks  alone  should  be  gravelled ; the  smaller 
alleys  or  j)aths  between  the  different  lines  of  trees  or  com- 
partments of  the  garden  are  principally  for  the  use  of  the 
workmen.  In  very  small  gardens,  where  it  is  important 
to  economize  the  ground,  the  spaces  devoted  to  the  walks 
may  be  of  plank  raised  up  on  pillars  or  blocks  a foot  from 
tlie  ground ; the  roots  of  trees  can  then  penetrate  the  ground 
below  the  walk  as  well  as  the  border,  and  scarce  any 
ground  will  be  lost. 

Water. — A supply  of  water  in  the  garden  is  a most 
important  consideration  in  our  warm,  dry,  sunny  climate. 
Good  crops  of  culinary  vegetables  cannot  be  secured  in 
many  seasons  without  a liberal  application  of  water,  and 
fruit  trees  are  greatly  beneflted  by  frequent  showering, 
especially  in  dry  weather.  It  refreshes  them  and  drives 
away  insects.  A good  well  or  cistern  should  therefore 


188 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


be  provided  in  every  garden,  and  be  situated  as  near  the 
centre  as  possible,  to  be  convenient  to  aU  parts. 

SELECTION  OE  TREES. 

1st.  Their  Form. — ^We  start  upon  the  principle  that,  in 
aU  cases,  tall  standard  trees,  such  as  are  usually  planted 
in  orchards,  are  totally  unfit  for  the  garden.  This  is  the 
one  great  and  universal  defect  in  American  fruit  garden- 
ing. The  trees  for  a fruit  garden  should  be  all  either 
dwarf  stamda/rds,  with  trunks  two  to  three  feet  high, 
'pyramids.,  branched  from  the  ground,  or  lushes  with 
stems  six  to  twelve  inches  high.  Trees  in  these  forms 
are,  in  the  first  place,  in  keeping  with  the  limited  extent 
of  the  garden,  and  convey  at  first  sight  the  idea  of  fitness. 
In  the  second  place,  they  give  a great  variety  on  a small 
space,  for  three  or  four  such  trees  will  not  occupy  more 
space  than  one  standard.  In  the  third  place,  they  are  in 
a convenient  form  for  management,  they  are  easily  pruned 
or  protected,  and  the  fruit  is  easily  gathered  and  less 
likely  to  be  blown  off  than  on  tall  trees.  In  the  fourth 
place,  they  bear  several  years  sooner  than  standards, 
especially  pears  and  apples. 

Among  the  forms  mentioned,  the  pyramid  is  certainly 
the  most  beautiful;  and  in  the  best  fruit  gardening 
regions  of  Europe,  where  almost  every  conceivable  form 
of  tree  has  been  tried,  it  is  to-day  the  most  popular, 
because  it  has  proved  the  most  advantageous  and  success- 
ful. The  apple  far  pyramids  should  be  on  the  Toucain 
stock.  Certain  varieties,  such  as  the  Eawthorndeam.,  Kes- 
wick Codlin.,  Summer  Rose.,  Duchess  of  Oiderdywrg,  and 
many  other  moderate  growers  and  early  bearers,  will 
make  good  pyramids  on  free  stocks,  but  they  will  require 
more  summer  pruning  and  careful  management  to  keep 
their  vigor  under  check  than  they  would  on  the  Eoucain. 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


189 


But  apples  for  the  fruit  garden,  even  on  the  Doucain, 
should  be  such  as  naturally  make  small  trees  and  are 
inclined  to  early  bearing.  In  these  respects  it  is  very 
well  known  there  is  a wide  difference  between  varieties 
Those  mentioned  above,  and  others  similar  in  character, 
frequently  bear,  on  free  stocks  in  the  nursery  rows,  at  the 
age  of  three  or  four  years  from  the  bud,  whilst  others  do 
not  bear  until  eight  or  ten  years  old.  This  is  a point  that 
should  always  be  looked  into  in  selecting  garden  trees,  for 
it  is  the  natural  and  proper  desire  of  every  one  who 
plants  a tree  in  the  garden  to  obtain  fruit  from  it  as  early 
as  possible. 

The  Apple  for  Dwarfs, — ^The  apple,  worked  on  the 
paradise,  makes  a beautiful  little  dwarf  bush.  We  know 
of  nothing  more  interesting  in  the  fruit  garden  than  a row, 
or  a little  square,  of  these  miniature  apple  trees  (fig.  100), 
either  in  blossom  or  in 
fruit.  Those  who  have 
not  seen  them,  may 
imagine  an  apple  tree, 
four  feet  high,  and  the 
same  in  width,  of 
branches  covered  with 
blossoms  in  the  spring? 
or  loaded  with  magni- 
ficent golden  and  crim- 
son fruit  in  the  autumn. 

They  begin  to  bear  the 
third  year  from  the  bud, 
and  the  same  variety  is 
always  larger  and  finer 
on  them  than  on  standards.  lied  Astraca/ris  on 

paradise  the  past  season,  that  measured  eleven  inches  in 
circumference.  The  French  plant  a square  or  compart- 
ment of  these  in  the  kitchen  or  fruit  garden,  as  they  do 


Fig. 109. 

Dwarf  apple  tree. 


190 


PEKMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


gooseberries  and  currants,  six  feet  apart,  and  call  it  th( 

^ Normandie ; they  also  alternate  them  with  pj^ramidai 
pear  trees  in  rows ; and  in  some  of  the  best  mixed  kitchen 
and  fruit  gardens,  two  dwarf  apples  are  planted  between 
two  pyramidal  pears,  thus  giving  double  the  number  of 
them  as  of  the  pears  in  a border  or  row.  In  small  gar 
dens  the  apple  should  hot  be  admitted  under  any  othei 
form,  and  even  to  a limited  extent  in  that,  for  it  is  the 
great  fruit  of  the  orchard^  and  in  nearly  all  parts  of  thia 
country  they  are  extensively  grown,  and  can  be  purchased 
at  very  moderate  rates. 

The  Pear^  as  a Pyramid  (fig.  101). — The  pear  is  emi- 
nently the  tree  for 
the  pyramidal  form, 
either  on  the  free 
stock,  or  on  the 
quince ; on  the  latter, 
however,  the  trees 
bear  much  earlier, 
are  more  prolific, 
more  manageable, 
and  consequently 
preferable  for  small 
gardens.  On  the  pear 
stock  they  require 
constant  summer 
pruning  and  pinch 
ing,  and  in  some 
cases,  root  pruning, 
to  subdue  the  natm 
ral  vigor,  and  induce 
early  fruitfulness . 
Certain  varieties, 
however,  do  not  sue- 


•yramidal  pear  tree,  7 feet  high— 4 feet  wide  at  the  cCCd  OU  the  quinCC, 

base.  ^ 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


191 


out  the  iiRijority  of  melting  varieties  do,  and  produce  larger 
and  tiner  fruit  on  it  than  on  the  free  stock.  Tlie  tardiness 
of  bearing  of  the  pear  tree,  when  grown  in  the  ordinary 
standard  form  on  pear  stock,  has,  more  than  any  othei 
cause,  retarded  its  general  cultivation.  No  better  proof 
of  this  can  be  adduced  than  the  general  partiality  now 
shown  for  trees  on  quince  stocks,  that  bear  at  the  age  of 
three  or  four  years.  The  introduction  of  these  trees,  a 
few  years  ago,  was  really  the  first  thing  that  gave  a general 
impulse  to  pear  tree  planting.  With  most  people,  it  is  a 
very  important  thing  to  obtain  fruit  in  two  or  three  years, 
instead  of  waiting  eight  or  ten.  The  best  management  of 
ti’ees  on  free  stocks,  cannot  bring  them  into  a bearing  state 
short  of  six  or  seven  years,  unless  it  be  some  remarkably 
precocious  variety.  People,  therefore,  who  wish  pear 
trees  for  pyramids  that  are  easily  managed,  and  will  bear 
early,  will  select  them  on  quince  stocks,  in  case  the  va- 
rieties they  wish  to  cultivate  have  been  proved  to  succeed 
well  on  it. 

The  Pea/r  in  the  dwarf  standard  form^  as  in  the 
pyramidal,  is  much  easier  managed,  and  bears  much 
earlier  on  the  quince  than  on  the  pear  ; indeed,  these  trees 
are  as  easily  managed  as  a standard  apple  tree.  There 
are  some  dwarf  standards  on  the  quince  in  our  grounds 
here,  and  in  gardens  in  this  city,  that  are  now  eight  years 
old,  and  about  seven  to  eight  feet  high,  with  trunks  from 
two  to  three  feet,  heads  four  to  five  feet  high,  and  three 
or  four  feet  in  width,  that  have  borne  regular  and  heavy 
crops  for  the  last  four  or  five  years,  without  any  other  care 
than  thinning  out  superfiuous  wood.  The  Cherry  is  as 
easily  managed  in  the  pyramidal  form  as  the  pear,  not 
only  the  free-growing  sorts,  Hea/rts  and  Biga/rreaus^  but 
the  Dukes  and  Morellos;  the  latter,  however,  are  less 
vigorous,  and  more  easily  managed.  All  should  be 
worked  on  the  maJialeh  stock ; this  has  the  same  effect  ou 


192 


PEEMANENT  PLANTATIONS 


the  cherry,  to  a certain  extent,  as  the  quince  has  on  the 
pear.  After  the  second  or  third  year’s  growth,  it  subdues 
their  vigor,  and  induces  fruitfulness.  We  have  a collec- 
tion of  upwards  of  thirty  varieties,  of  four  to  five  years 
old,  that  are  now  fine  pyramids,  from  five  to  eight  feet 
high,  and  they  have  all  home  since  the  third  year,  and  we 
find  them  quite  as  easily  managed  as  the  pear.  The 
Dukes  and  Morellos  should  be  chosen,  where  very  small 
trees  are  desir- 
able, as  they  can 
be  grown  in 
bushes  like  the 
apple  on  the  pa- 
radise stock,  at 
five  feet  apart. 

Fig.  102  is 
the  portrait  of  a 
dwarf  Florence 
cherry  tree, 
given  by  Mr. 

Rivers,  in  his 
Miniature  Fruit 
Garden,  only 
two  years  old, 
bearing  fruit. 

Our  dwarfs  fre- 
quently bear  the 
third  year. 

The  Plum  as  a Pyramid. — ^The  plum  has  rarely  been 
cultivated  as  a pyramid,  but  recent  experiments  prove 
that  it  is  quite  susceptible  of  that  form  under  proper 
management.  It  should  be  worked  on  a stock  calculated 
to  subdue  its  natural  vigor.  The  native  or  Canada  plum 
answ^  a good  purpose,  the  mirobalalan  or  cherry  plum, 


Fig.  102. 

Dwarf  cherry,  two  years  from  bud,  bearing. 


TIIK  I^KUIT  GAKDEN. 


193 


and  the  sloe  (primus  spinosa)  dwarf  it,  to  a still  greater 
extent.  Summer  pruning  and  pinching,  as  well  as  occa- 
sional root  pruning,  are  all  necessary  to  check  the  vigor 
of  most  kinds,  and  keep  them  in  suitable  dimensions  for 
small  gardens  where  it  is  necessary  to  plant  them  close. 

The  Plum  as  a Dwarf  Standard, — Besides  the  pyra- 
mid, this  is  tlie  only  form  in  which  the  plum  should  be 
admitted  in  the  garden.  The  dwarf  standard,  with  a 
trunk  two  or  three  feet  in  height,  and  a symmetrical 
round  head,  is  a very  pretty  and  appropriate  form,  and 
requires  less  skill  and  care  in  the  management  than  the 
pyramid,  and  by  proper  management  the  trees  require 
but  little  if  any  more  space. 

The  Peach. — The  best  garden  form  for  the  peach  is 
that  of  the  dwarf  standard,.^  with  a trunk  eighteen  inches 
to  two  feet.  AVith  proper  management,  which  will  here- 
after be  described,  this  form  is  easily  conducted,  even 
when  the  trees  are  on  peacli  stocks.  The  plum  stock,  and 
especially  the  sorts  recommended  for  dwarf  plums,  gives 
trees  that  are  less  vigorous  and  more  easily  kept  in  a 
small  space.  In  nearly  all  parts  of  our  country  the 
fruit  ripens  perfectly  in  the  open  ground,  so  that  espalier 
training,  as  has  been  remarked,  is  seldom  practised, 
unless  to  save  ground;  or  in  northern  localities,  where 
protection  of  the  buds  during  winter,  or  of  the  blossoms 
in  the  spring,  is  necessary.  In  such  cases  alone  are 
espaliers  to  be  recommended,  as  they  require  much  greater- 
care  in  pruning  and  training  than  in  any  other  form.. 
Espalier  trees  are  of  various  forms,  but  the  fa)n.^  as  it  is 
termed,  is  the  best  adapted  to  the  peach.  It  consists  of 
^wo  main  branches  or  divisions  of  the  stem,  spread  out  in 
the  form  of  a Y ; each  of  these  bears  a certain  number,, 
as  many  as  may  be  necessary  to  fill  the  trellis,  of  second- 
ary branches,  and  these  furnish  the  bearing  wood.  The* 
9 


194 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


produ(^tion  and  management  of  this  and  other  espalier 
forms,  will  he  treated  fully  under  the  head  of  pruning 
and  training. 

The  Apricot  and  Nectarine, — ^The  remarks  applied  to 
the  peach  apply  with  equal  force  to  both  these  trees  ; they 
succeed  equally  well  as  low  standards,  or  as  espaliers. 
The  apricot  is  more  generally  grown  in  this  form  than 
any  other  tree,  because  its  early  blossoms  are  so  easily 
protected,  and  the  curculio  does  not  appear  to  be  so 
troublesome  to  it  as  in  the  standard  form. 

The  Quince,^  in  the  garden,  should  either  be  a dwarf 
bush,  with  a stem  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  high,  and  a 
compact,  symmetrical  head,  or  a pyramid.  In  the  latter 
form  it  is  quite  easily  conducted,  but  requires  more  care, 
of  course,  than  as  a bush,  as  the  upper  part  of  the  tree 
must  be  always  kept  subordinate  to  the  lower,  and  this 
requires  a regular  and  constant  attention. 

The  Filbert, — The  remarks  on  the  quince  may  be 
applied  with  equal  propriety  to  the  filbert,  as  regards 
form.  The  hush  branched  from  the  ground,  and  the  low 
standards  with  two  feet  stems,  are  the  ordinary  forms ; 
but  in  some  of  the  French  gardens  it  is  conducted  with 
great  success  as  a pyramid. 

These  are  the  principal  trees  of  which  it  is  necessary 
to  speak  in  regard  to  form.  Other  species  will  be  referred 
to  under  the  head  of  pruning.  Having  now  pointed  out 
the  most  eligible  forms  for  garden  trees,  and  their  respec- 
tive advantages,  planters  will  be  able  to  make  a choice 
adapted  to  their  tastes  and  circumstances.  Those  who  do 
not  employ  a professional  gardener,  and  who  have  but  a 
small  portion  of  spare  time  to  devote  to  their  garden, 
should  by  all  means  adopt  such  forms  for  their  trees  as 
require  the  least  skill  and  labor,  provided  always  that  it 
be  appropriate  to  the  size  of  the  garden,  and  consistent 
with  good  management. 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEH. 


195 


Tlie  next  point  to  bo  considered  is, 

The  Age  of  the  lliis  will  depend  very  much  on  cir- 

cnmstances.  For  pyramidal  trees  it  is  yet  difficult,  almost 
impossible,  to  obtain  in  the  nurseries  specimens  of  more 
than  one  year’s  growth  that  are  suitable.  Tlie  yearlings 
are  never  sufficiently  cut  back,  nor  the  branches  of  the 


second  and  third  year  so  managed  as  to  have  the  requisite 
proportion  of  length  and  vigor  to  fit  them  for  being  mould- 
ed, with  any  ordinary  treatment,  into  a perfectly  pyramidal 
form.  If  suitable  trees  cannot  be  found  of  two  or  three 
years  from  the  bud  or  graft,  vigorous  yearlings,  worked 
at  the  ground,  should  be  chosen,  as  they  are  in  a condition 
to  take  easily  any  required  form ; and  though  fruit  may 
not  be  so  soon  obtained  from  them,  yet  they  will  in  the 
end  be  much  more  satisfactory  ; for,  unless  a right  begin- 
ning be  nmde  in  the  training  of  a tree  in  any  form  more 
or  less  artificial,  no  art  can  afterwards  completely  correct 
the  errors.  If  we  take-  a two  or  three  year  old  tree,  man 
aged  111  the  nursery,  as.  usual,  with  a naked  trunk  two  to 
two  and  a half  feet  from  the  ground,  and  a branching 
head,  or  what  is  nearly  as  bad,  a few  weak  side  branches 
below,  oveiTun  with  strong  ones  above,  the  most  severe 
process  will  be  necessary,  in  order  to  produce  lateral 
branches  in  the  proper  place;  and  thus,  as  much  time 
will  be  lost  as  would  bring  forward  a yearling,  and  the 
tree  will  not  be  so  perfectly  formed,  so  healthy,  nor  in  any 
respect  so  satisfactory.  The  general  impatience  that  exists 
in  regard  to  the  growth  and  bearing  of  trees  is  the  great 
cause  of  this  defective  character  when  taken  from  the  nur- 
sery.  '^e  nurseryman  is  averse  to  cutting  back  his  trees, 
as  ey  ose  a year  m height,  and  planters  or  purchasers 
are  not  generally  discriminating  enough  to  be  willing  to 
py  him  a proportionate  price.  He  finds  tall  trees  more 
attractive.  When  planters  do  get  these  trees,  they  cannot 
be  persuaded  to  cut  them  down;  they  wish  to  obtain 


196 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


fruit  as  soon  as  possible,  and  therefore  the  tree  is  allowed 
to  proceed  in  the  defective  form  it  assumed  at  the  nur- 
sery. 

For  Dwarfs  and  Dwarf  Standa/rds,  it  is  less  difficult  to 
obtain  the  right  sort  of  trees,  for  this  is  the  form  that  nur- 
sery trees  that  have  not  been  cut  back,  ordinarily  assume. 
Those,  therefore,  who  prefer  such  trees  can  always  be  sup- 
plied with  them  well  advanced,  even  in  a bearing  state  if 
so  desired.  As  in  the  pyramid,  however,  persons  who 
intend  to  make  models  of  their  trees,  will  do  well  to  pro 
cure  yearlings  worked  at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  for  on 
them  heads  or  lateral  branches  can  be  formed  without  any 
difficulty  at  any  desired  point  between  the  collar  and  ter- 
minal bud.  Another  consideration  is  worthy  of  note  on 
this  point.  There  is  a much  greater  risk  in  removing 
three  or  four  year  old  trees  than  yearlings,  and  they  are 
more  difficult  and  expensive  to  pack  and  transport.  The 
yearling  is  easily  removed  and  easily  transported,  and  its 
growth  is  comparatively  unaffected  by  the  change.  The 
gardeners  most  famous  for  their  handsome,  well  managed 
fruit  trees,  invariably  select  yearling  trees,  that  is,  trees 
that  have  made  one  year’s  growth  from  the  bud  or  graft. 

SeleGtion  of  Varieties.— selection  of_  varieties  of 
fruits  for  a fruit  garden  should  be  made  in  view  of  all  the 
circumstances  that  can  affect  their  usefulness.  They 
should  be  adapted  to  the  soil,  and  more  particularly  to  the 
climate.  It  is  well  known  that  in  every  section  of  the 
country,  certain  varieties  seem  to  succeed  remarkably 
well,  whilst  others,  of  the  greatest  excellence  elsewhere, 
entirely  fail.  Our  country  is  so  extensive  and  embraces 
such  a variety  of  climate  that  it  is  impossible  that  the 
same  varieties  should  succeed  equally  well  in  all  parts; 
and  planters  should  consider  this  well.  Those  who  have 
had  no  experience  in  cultivation,  nor  a proper  opportunity 
for  acquiring  knowledge  on  this  point,  should  consult  oth 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


197 


ers.  Any  intelligent  nurseryman  who  has  a correspond- 
ence with  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  is  thoroughly  alive 
to  all  the  branches  of  his  profession,  and  the  results  of 
experience,  can  aid  planters  greatly  in  making  appropriate 
selections.  It  is  true  that  the  amount  of  knowledge  col- 
lected on  this  head  is  yet  comparatively  small,  and  quite 
insufficient  for  a general  guide,  but  it  is  every  day  accu- 
mulating, and  what  there  may  be,  is  well  worthy  of  atten- 
tion. The  experience  of  fruit  growers,  as  elicited  at  recent 
pomological  conventions,  has  brought  to  light  a multitude 
of  highly  important  facts,  bearing  on  this  very  point. 
These  will  be  more  particularly  noted  when  we  come  to 
the  description  of  fruits. 

Varieties  should  he  adapted  in  their  growth  to  the  form 
they  are  to  he  grown  in^  and  to  the  extent  of  the  Garden, — 
For  pyramidal  trees,  varieties  should  be  chosen  whose 
habits  of  growth  are  regular  or  slightly  spreading,  the 
branches  assuming  more  of  the  horizontal  than  the 
upright,  and  those  disposed  to  branch  low  down  should  be 
preferred  to  those  of  an  opposite  habit.  Where  the  gar- 
den is  small,  moderate  or  slow^  growers  should  be  pre- 
ferred to  rapid  and  vigorous  growers.  They  should  also  be 
well  adapted  to  the  stock  on  which  they  are  worked.  This 
is  a very  important  point,  but  one  on  which  only  a few 
persons  in  this  country  have  yet  acquired  any  considera- 
ble amount  of  actual  experience.  Still,  many  important 
facts  have  been  gathered,  and  it  becomes  every  planter  to 
avail  himself  of  them.  If  he  plants  pears  on  quince  stocks, 
for  instance,  it  is  important  to  know  that  certain  varieties 
are  much  better  on  that  stock  than  they  are  on  the  pear ; 
and  that  others  fail,  and  are  worthless  on  it. 

The  varieties  should  he  adapted  to  the  wants  and  wishes 
of  the  planter, — ^Those  who  plant  fruit  gardens  have  not 
all  the  same  objects  in  view.  One  man  plants  his  garden 
for  profit,  to  supply  his  family  with  good  fruits.  This  is 


198 


PERMANEN'r  PLANTATIONS. 


his  main  purpose.  He  should,  therefore,  select  the  very 
best  varieties,  considering  not  the  quality  alone,  but  the’’’ 
productiveness  and  other  useful  properties.  Such  a per- 
son has  no  desire  for  a large  collection.,  but  looks  merely 
for  an  assortment  that  will  yield  a succession  of  ripe  fruits 
during  the  season.  Another  who  regards  the  mere  value 
of  the  fruit  less  than  amusement,  recreation,  and  experi- 
ment, will  make  his  collection  as  varied  as  possible. 
Where  any  particular  class  of  fruits  can  be  had  very 
cheap  in  market,  it  should  be  planted  sparingly  in  the 
garden,  so  that  such  as  may  be  scarce  or  dear  can  be 
grown  in  larger  quantities.  It  is  only  by  taking  all  these 
into  account,  that  planters  can  hope  to  make  their  fruit 
igarden  answer  their  particular  views  and  purposes. 

The  planting  of  a fruit  garden  should  be  considered  as 
of  equal  importance,  as  far  as  the  doing  of  it  well  is  con- 
cerned, with  the  building  of  a dwelling.  This  is  constructed 
with  a view  to  the  convenience  of  the  family,  and  is, 
therefore,  in  all  its  parts,  supposed  to  be  adapted  to  their 
wants  and  mode  of  living.  The  fruit  garden  is  intended, 
also,  to  promote  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the 
family,  and  should,  like  the  dwelling,  in  all  respects  be 
as  nearly  as  possible  adapted  to  their  wants  and  circum- 
stances. Having  now  treated  of  the  soil,  enclosures, 
trellises,  walks,  arrangement,  selection  of  trees  and  varie- 
ties, we  proceed  to  the  taking  up  of  the  trees  and  plant- 
ing. 

Taking  up  the  Trees. — ^This  has  already  been  de- 
scribed under  the  head  of  nursery  operations,  to  which  the 
reader  fs  referred. 

Planting  has  been  described  under  the  head  of  plant- 
ing the  orchard  / and  the  operation  being  the  same  in 
both  cases,  it  need  not  be  repeated. 

The  arrangement  of  the  trees,  however,  is  different, 
•and  this  point  requires  a special  notice. 


TIIK  FRUrr  GARDEN. 


199 


1st.  In  regard  to  position, — Eacli  class  of  trees,  such  as 
pears,  apples,  cherries,  etc.,  should  be  planted  together  in 
the  same  rows  or  division,  and  if  any  difference  exist  on 
the  soil,  each  should  be  planted  in  that  best  adapted  to  it. 
Thus,  plums  should  have  that  most  inclined  to  clay  ; pears 
and  apples,  the  deepest  and  richest ; cherries,  peaches, 
apricots,  etc.,  the  dryest  and  lightest. 

Where  the  garden  is  large,  the  pyramids  should  be  in 
one  compartment,  the  dwarf  standards  in  another,  and 
the  dwarf  bushes  in  another ; but  wdiere  it  is  necessary 
to  economize  and  fill  the  ground  to  the  best  advantage, 
the  dwarf  bushes  may  alternate  advantageously  with  the 
pyramids  or  dwarf  standards,  and  this  especially  along 
the  walk  borders.  Varieties,  too,  of  the  same,  or  similar 
habits  of  growth,  should,  if  j)ossible,  be  together.  The 
espalier  trees  should  be  placed  so  that  the  earliest  blos- 
soming kinds,  such  as  the  apricots,  will  be  most  secure 
from  the  influence  of  spring  frosts  w^here  these  prevail. 
The  trellis  facing  the  north  will  be  the  best  for  this  pur- 
pose ; but  where  it  is  intended  to  protect  them,  the  aspect 
is  of  little  account.  In  the  north  aspect,  fruits  are  very 
much  retarded  in  their  ripening ; and  this  circumstance 
may  be  turned  to  a good  account  to  prolong  the  season 
of  some  late  cherries,  currants,  etc.  We  have  seen  fine 
M(U'ellos  in  perfection  on  a north  wall  here,  in  the  month 
of  September. 

The  distance  at  which  trees  shoidd  he  planted  in  the 
'garden. — ^This  will  not  be  the  same  in  all  cases ; for  in  a 
large  garden  it  is  not  necessary  to  plant  so  close  as  in  a 
very  small  one,  and  in  a very  rich  and  deep  soil,  a 
greater  distance  will  be  required  than  in  a dry  and  light 
soil.  There  is  also  a great  difference  in  the  growth  of 
varieties.  Some  might  be  planted  at  six  feet  apart,  and 
have  as  much  space  in  proportion  as  others  would  at 
eight.  This  shows  that  no  rule,  as  regards  distance,  can 


200 


PERMANENT  PLANTATIONS. 


be  observed  in  all  cases,  and  this  particularly  in  small  gar- 
dens, where  advantage  should  be  taken  of  every  circum- 
stance. In  large  gardens  an  uniform  distance  may  be 
adopted,  even  if  some  space  be  sacrificed.  The  following 
distances  may  serve  as  a general  guide,  and  may  be  in- 
creased or  diminished  according  to  circumstances : 

DISTANCES  IN  THE  OPEN  GROUND. 

Apples, — Pyramids  on  free  stock,  ten  feet  apart ; do.,  on 
Doucain,  eight  feet  apart ; do.,  dwarf  standards  on 
Doucain,  eight  feet  apart ; do.,  dwarf  bushes  on 
paradise,  five  to  six  feet  apart. 

Pears. — Pyramids  on  free  stocks,  ten  to  twelve  feet  apart ; 
do.,  on  quince,  six  feet  apart ; do.,  dwarf  standards  ou 
quince,  six  to  eight  feet  apart. 

Plums. — Dwarf  standards,  eight  to  ten  feet  apart ; do., 
pyramids,  eight  to  ten  feet  apart. 

Cherries. — Pyramids,  hearts,  and  bigarreaus,  eiglit  to  ten 
feet  apart ; do.,  dukes  and  morellos,  six  to  eight  feet 
apart;  do.,  dwarf  bushes  of  morellos,  five  to  six  feet 
apart. 

Apricots. — Dwarf  standard  on  plum,  eight  to  ten  feet 
apart ; do.,  pyramids,  six  to  eight  feet  apart. 

Peaches. — Low  standards  on  peach,  ten  to  twelve  feet 
apart ; do.,  on  plum,  eight  to  ten  feet. 

Nectarines. — Same  as  peaches. 

Quinces. — Pyramids  or  bushes,  six  to  eight  feet  apart. 
Filberts.^  do.,  six  to  eight  feet  apart. 

Gooseberries  and  Currants^  four  to  five  feet  apart. 
Raspberries.^  two  to  three  feet  apart. 

Mr.  Rivers  gives  the  following  distances  in  his  “ Minia 
ture  Fruit  Garden.” 


THE  FRUIT  GARDEN. 


201 


Pyramidal  Pear  Trees^  on  quince  stocks,  root  pruned^for 
small  gardens,  four  feet  apart.  The  same,  in  larger 
gardens,  not  root  primed,  six  feet  apart. 

Pyramidal  Pear  Trees^  on  the  pear  stock,  root  pruned, 
six  feet  apart.  The  same  roots,  not  pruned,  eight  to 
ten  feet— the  latter  if  the  soil  be  very  rich. 

Horizontal  Espalier  Pear  Trees^  on  the  quince  stock  for 
rails  or  walls,  fifteen  feet  apart. 

Upright  Espaliers^  on  the  quince  stock  for  rails  or  walls, 
four  to  six  feet  apart. 

Horizontal  Espaliers^  on  the  pear  stock  for  rails  or  walls, 
twenty  to  twenty-four  feet  apart. 

Pyramidal  Plum  Trees^  six  feet  apart. 

Espalier  Plum  Trees^  twenty  feet  apart. 

Pyramidal  Apple  Trees^  on  the  paradise  stock,  root- 
pruned  for  small  gardens,  four  feet  apart.  The  same 
roots  not  pruned,  six  feet  apart. 

Espalier  Apple  Trees^  on  the  paradise  stock,  fifteen  feet 
apart.  The  same,  on  the  crab  stock,  twenty  to 
twenty-four  feet  apart. 

Peaches  and  Nectarines  for  walls,  twenty  feet  apart. 
Apricots  for  walls,  twenty-four  feet  apart. 

Cherries^  as  bushes  on  the  mahaleb  stock,  roots  pruned  for 
small  gardens,  four  feet  apart.  The  same,  roots  not 
pruned,  six  feet  apart. 

Espalier  Cherry  Trees^  on  the  mahaleb,  for  rails  or  walls, 
twelve  to  fifteen  feet  apart. 

DISTANCE  FOR  ESPALIER  TREES  ON  WALLS  OR  TRELLISES. 

The  distances  between  espalier  trees  must  be  regulated 
not  only  by  the  growth  of  the  species  and  variety,  but  by 
the  height  of  the  wall  or  trellis.  If  these  be  low,  a 
greater  length,  of  course,  will  be  necessary  than  if  high ; 
for  every  tree  must  have  a certain  extent  of  surface  to  be 
spread  upon.  Hence,  if  a trellis  be  only  eight  feet  high, 
9* 


202 


PEJRMA.NENT  PLANTATIONS. 


nearly  double  the  length,  and,  consequently,  double  the 
distance  between  the  trees  will  be  required  that  would  be 
on  a trellis  fifteen  or  sixteen  feet  high.  As  a general 
thing,  joeaches^  apricots^  or  nectarines^  on  walls  or  trellisec 
eight  or  ten  feet  high,  should  be  fifteen  to  twenty  feet 
apart,  if  on  free  stocks,  and  twelve  to  fifteen  if  dwarfed 
on  the  plum.  Cherries^  ten  to  twelve  feet.  Our  native 
grajoes^  Isabella^  Catawba^  etc.,  at  least  thirty  feet  apart, 
on  an  eight  feet  high  trellis,  as  their  rapid  growth  covers 
a great  space  in  a short  time.  Foreign  varieties  will  not 
require  half  this ; indeed,  the  better  way  is,  to  keep 
these  trained  to  simple  stakes,  and  planted  in  the  border, 
where  their  out-door  culture  is  attempted.  In  this  way 
they  are  easily  laid  down  and  protected. 


CHAPTER  II. 

PRUNING  APPLIED  TO  THE  DIFFERENT  SPECIES  OR 
FRUIT  TREES  UNDER  DIFFERENT  FORMS. 

Section  1. — ^Pruning  the  Apple  and  the  Pear. 

These  two  trees  belong  to  the  same  natural  order,  jpo- 
macecB^  and  to  the  same  genus  pyrus ; their  habits  of 
growth  and  bearing  are  similar,  and  they  may  therefore 
be  treated  as  regards  their  pruning,  under  the  same 
head. 

If  we  take  for  example  a shoot  of  last  season  (fig.  6),  we 
find  it  in  the  spring,  before  vegetation  commences,  fur- 
nished on  all  its  length  with  wood  buds  ; w^hen  growth 
commences,  the  terminal  bud,  and  probably  two  or  three 
of  the  others  nearest  to  it,  produce  shoots,  the  others  to- 
wards the  middle  produce  small  shoots  that  are  in  subse- 
quent years  transformed  into  fruit  branches  (like  fig.  10). 
Some  do  not  push  at  all,  but  are  converted  into  fruit 
buds  (as  in  figs.  7 and  8),  whilst  those  at  the  base  gene- 
rally remain  dormant,  until  excited  into  growth  by  close 
pruning.  All  the  buds  on  these  trees  have  small  incon- 
spicuous buds  at  their  base,  which  are  capable  of  produc- 
ing shoots  when  the  principal  bud  is  destroyed  or  injured, 
and  these  buds  render  the  fruit  spurs  so  enduring.  In 
young  trees  the  fruit  buds  are  many  years  in  process  of 
formation,  and  in  bearing  trees  three  to  four  years,  accord 


•204: 


PRUNING. 


ing  to  circumstances.  When  the  trees  are  not  subjected 
to  pruning,  the  result  of  the  mode  of  growth  described  is, 
that  the  terminal  buds  grow  and  form  one  section  upon 
■another,  leaving  the  lower  parts  mainly  destitute  of  bear- 
ing wood,  unless  it  be  an  occasional  spur,  the  sap  always 
tending  to  the  points. 

1st.  Standards, — The  management  of  this  form  of  trees 
has  been  fully  treated  of  in  all  our  works  on  fruit  culture, 
and  in  all  the  agricultural  and  horticultural  journals,  so 
that  now  it  is  pretty  well  understood,  and  especially  by 
those  who  give  considerable  attention  to  tne  subject  of 
fruit  trees ; it  will  not  be  necessary  therefore  to  enter  upon 
much  detail  in  regard  to  it. 

A standard  apple  or  pear  tree  for  the  orchard,  when 
taken  from  the  nursery  to  be  finally  planted  out,  we  will 
supr  ose  to  have  a straight,  stout  trunk,  four  to  six  feet 
ir  neight,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  a head  composed  of  a 
certain  number  of  shoots  or  branches,  but  generally  shoots 
of  one  year’s  growth.  At  the  time  of  planting,  three  or 
four  of  these  shoots  should  be  selected  to  form  the  main 
branches,  or  frame-work,  on  which  to  build  the  whole 
head,  and  the  remainder  cut  clean  out;  those  reserved 
should  be  cut  back  full  one-half,  and  from  the  shoots  pro- 
duced on  these  at  and  below  the  cut,  two  of  the  strongest 
are  selected  each  on  opposite  sides,  and  the  others  are 
rubbed  off  while  they  are  soft.  In  selecting  these  shoots, 
care  must  be  taken  to  have  them  equally  distant  from  one 
another,  and  pointing  in  such  directions  as  not  to  cross  or 
interfere. 

During  the  first  season  these  young  shoots  must  be 
watched  and  kept  in  a regular  state  of  vigor.  If  any 
threaten  to  become  too  vigorous,  they  must  be  pinched 
and  checked  at  once,  so  that  perfect  uniformity  be  pre 
■served.  This  is  the  time  to  secure  a well  formed  and 
nicely  balanced  head.  A very  slight  circumstance  soino 


THE  APPLE  AND  THE  PEAR. 


205 


times  throws  the  growtli  into  one  side  or  One  branch  of  a 
young  tree,  and  produces  a deformity  from  which  it  never 
recovers.  The  trunk  must  be  kept  clear  of  all  shoots,  by 
rubbing  olf  such  as  appear  at  the  earliest  possible  moment, 
when  it  can  be  done  without  the  use  of  a knife.  Suppos- 
ing we  commenced  the  head  with  three  branches  at  time 
of  planting,  there  will  be  at  the  end  of  the  first  season,  six. 

The  attention  required  after  this  will  be  to  maintain  an 
uniform  growth  among  these  six  branches,  and  their  mem- 
bers and  divisions,  and  to  prevent  the  growth  of  shoots  in 
the  centre.  The  leading  defect  in  all  our  orchard  trees  is 
too  irmcli  wood^  the  heads  are  kept  so  dense  with  small 
shoots  that  the  sun  and  air  are  in  a great  measure  ex- 
cluded, and  tlie  fruit  on  the  outside  of  the  tree  only  is 
marketable  or  fit  for  use.  The  head  should  be  kept  open, 
rather  in  the  form  of  a vase,  so  that  the  wood,  leaves, 
blossoms  and  fruit  may  all,  on  every  part,  enjoy  the  full 
benefit  of  the  sun  and  air,  without  which  they  cannot  per- 
form their  functions,  or  maintain  maturity  and  perfection. 

Too  many  people  imagine  that  trees 
can  take  care  of  themselves,  as  trees  in 
the  forest,  on  the  ground  that  nature 
preserves  a balance  in  all  her  works ; but 
it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  a fruit 
tree  is  not  exactly  a natural  production. 

It  is  far  removed  from  the  natural  state 
by  culture,  and  the  farther  it  is  removed, 
that  is,  the  more  its  nature  is  refined 
and  improved,  the  more  care  it  requires. 

Fig.  103  represents  a young  standard 
pear  tree,  stem  four  feet  high,  and  the 
head  twice  cut  back,  as  at  the  letters  a 
and  5. 


Fia.  103 

A young  standard  pear 
trunk  4 feet  high, 

Jr  Vtich/ITIO, If  this  be  properly  at-  formed  on  three  main 

, _ X.  r J * ; J 


tended  to,  very  little  knife  pruning  ^^1 


\ and  6 


206 


PRUNING. 


be  necessary,  except  to  shorten  the  leading  shoots,  because 
as  soon  as  a superfluous  or  misplaced  shoot  appears,  it  is 
rubbed  otF,  and  when  one  becomes  too  \dgorous,  it  is 
pinched  and  checked ; the  great  advantage  of  pinching  is, 
that  1st,  It  economizes  the  sap  of  the  tree.  That  which 
would  be  expended  on  superfluous  shoots  is  turned  to  the 
beneflt  of  the  parts  reserved,  and  thus  the  growth  is  greatly 
promoted. 

2d.  All  wounds  necessarily  inflicted,  where  knife  prun- 
ing is  depended  on,  are  completely  avoided.  These  facts 
should  be  remembered.  Standard  apples  and  pears  are 
not  generally  pruned  with  a view  to  hastening  their  bear- 
ing, but  are  allowed  to  arrive  at  that  state  in  their  natu- 
ral way.  In  the  case  of  tardy  bearing  sorts,  however,  it 
may  be  desirable  to  apply  artiflcial  means,  and  these  will 
be  pointed  out  in  treating  of  dwarfs  and  pyramids 
hereafter. 

Dwarf  Standards. — ^These  are  similar  to  standards, 
except  that  the  trunks  are  low,  not  over  two  or  three  feet 
in  height,  and  the  head  is  retained  in  a smaller  space. 
Their  management  is  always  much  easier  when  the  stocks 
are  such  as  to  dwarf  or  restrain  the  growth.  Thus, 
apples  on  the  paradise  or  Doucain^  and  pears  on  the 
quince.  The  main  branches  or  frame-work  of  the  head, 
are  produced  by  cutting  back  the  three  or  four  branches 
that  form  the  head  of  the  tree  as  it  comes  from  the 
nursery,  in  the  same  manner  as  recommended  for  stand- 
ards. 

The  first  season.^  all  superfluous  productions  are  rubbed 
off,  and  a balance  maintained  among  the  shoots  by  pinch- 
ing. 

The  second  year.^  in  the  winter  or  spring,  the  shoots  of 
last  reason  are  shortened,  say  one  half,  as  a general  thing. 
This  Induces  the  development  of  the  buds  on  their  whole 
part^.  The  cut  is  made  at  a good,  plump  bud,  capable 


niE  APPLE  AND  THE  PEAR. 


207 


of  j>ro(liicinj2j  a vigorous  shoot ; and  this  is  selected  to 
prolong  the  branch.  If  one  or  two  secondary  branches 
are  needed  to  fill  np  a space,  those  next  the  leader,  if 
properly  situated  to  fill  the  space,  are  chosen,  and  all  be- 
low them  are  pinched  when  about  two  or  three  inches 
long,  in  order  to  check  the  production  of  wood  where  it 
is  not  wanted,'' and  to  convert  them  into  fruit  branches  or 
spurs.  The  growth  of  all  the  main  and  secondary 
branches  is  regulated  and  balanced  by  pinching ; and  if 
the  pinched  shoots  intended  for  fruit  spurs  start  again 
into  growth,  they  must  be  again  pinched. 

The  third  season  the  shoots  of  the  previous  year  are  cut 
back  as  before,  say  to  four,  five,  or  six  eyes,  according  to 
their  strength.  One  shoot  is  chosen  to  continue  the  pro- 
longment  of  the  branch,  and  the  others  are  pinched  in 
season  to  convert  them  into  fruit  spurs.  Thus  the  tree  is 
conducted  from  year  to  year,  until  it  has  attained  the  full 
size  required.  In  this  way  the  trees  commence  bearing 
quite  young,  and  every  branch  is  furnished  in  all  its 
length  with  fruit  spurs. 

Pyramids, — Under  the  head  of  “ the  selection  of 
trees,”  it  has  been  recommended  to  obtain  thrifty  year- 
ling trees  in  preference  to  older  ones  not  properly  man- 
aged. We  will,  therefore,  begin  with  the  yearling  tree, 
and  although  the  management  of  this  the  first  year  after 
cutting  back  has  been  given  in  the  nursery,  it  may  be 
well  to  repeat  it  here,  to  save  the  reader  the  trouble  of 
referring  back. 

Oljeets  of  cutting  hach, — ^The  object  in  doing  this  is  to 
produce  branches  near  the  stock  that  will  form  the  base 
of  the  future  pyramid.  If  left  entire,  the  tendency  of 
the  sap  to  the  extremities  would  produce  shoots  there 
only,  leaving  a naked  space  entirely  inconsistent  with  the 
form  in  view.  We,  therefore,  reduce  the  stem  to  such  an 
extent,  that  but  a small  number  of  buds  is  left  on  it 


208 


PRUNING. 


and  the  sap  acting  on  these  with  great  force  causes  tb«ir 
development. 

How  far  to  cut  hacTc, — It  is  obvious  that  this  must  de- 
pend on  the  character  of  the  subject.  In  yearling  plants, 
both  of  the  pear  and  apple,  there  is  presented  a great 
difference  in  different  varieties.  Some  invariably  pro- 
duce lateral  branches  the  first  season.  The  buds  are  so 
perfectly  developed,  that  when  the  second  growth  takes 
place  in  midsummer,  they  break  and  form  branches,  in 
some  cases  as  much  as  a foot  long,  and  in  others  only  a 
few  inches.  Then  among  the  varieties  which  do  not  thus 
produce  side  branches  in  the  second  growth,  there  is  a 
great  difference  in  the  plumpness  and  prominence  of  the 
buds.  In  some  they  are  larger,  and  stand  out  boldly 
from  the  wood  on  the  whole  length  of  the  stem,  appa- 
rently ready  to  push  under  the  least  excitement.  In 
others  they  are  small,  lie  flat  to  the  wood,  and  have 
every  appearance  of  being  difiicult  to  excite  into  growth, 
and  especially  those  towards  the  base.  It  should  always 
be  borne  in  mind  that  it  is  better  to  cut  too  low  than  not 
low  enough.  The  difficulty  of  cutting  too  low  is,  that  the 
shoots  produced  are  nearly  all  of  equal  length,  and  a 
certain  number  of  them  require  to  be  checked  to  give 
each  one  its  proper  dimensions.  The  difficulty  of  not 
cutting  low  enough  is,  that  where  we  should  have 
branches  at  the  base  we  have  none,  or,  if  any,  they  are 
smaller,  instead  of  larger,  than  those  above  them.  The 
remedy  in  this  case  is  more  difficult  than  the  other.  The 
vigorous  shoots  at  the  summit  must  be  checked,  and 
even  the  leading  shoot,  in  order  to  throw  back  the  sap 
into  the*  lower  parts  to  act  upon  the  buds  there.  The 
error  which  produces  such  a difficulty,  is  very  common, 
as  we  know  by  experience,  amongst  persons  not  familiar 
with  the  growth  of  young  trees  or  the  development  of 
tJie  buds  on  their  stems.  It  must  be  laid  down  as  9 


THE  APPLE  AND  THE  PEAE. 


209 


general  rule,  that  the  more  feeble  the  flcmt^  and  the 
smaller  and  the  more  imperfectly  developed  the  buds^  the 
lower  it  is  necessary  to  cut. 

The  condition  of  the  roots,  too,  must  be  taken  into 
account ; for  where  the  roots  are  weak,  broken,  oi  injured, 
and  consequently  unfit  to  yield  to  the  stem  any  considera- 
ble amount  of  nutriment,  the  buds  will  break  with  less 
force,  and  a more  severe  retrenchment  will  be  necessary. 
All  these  circumstances  must  be  considered. 

For  example,  we  will  take  a young  pear  tree 
of  one  year’s  growth  from  the  bud,  without 
branches  (fig.  104),  wdiich  we*  will  suppose  to 
be  four  feet,  which  is  the  ordinary  average 
height  of  yearlings.  If  the  buds  are  full  and 
prominent  on  it,  we  cut  to  a good  bud  at 
twenty  inches  from  the  stock  ; but  if  the  buds 
are  less  prominent,  cut  to  fifteen  or  eighteen 
inches,  and  if  very  feeble,  with  small  buds, 
cut  to  within  twelve  inches,  or  five  or  six 
buds  of  the  stock.  If  the  roots  have  been  Fig.  i04. 
iniured  much,  and  the  stem  somewhat  dried 

, tree  without  bran- 

or  shrivelled,  it  should  be  cut  to  within  three  ches.  The  cross- 
or  four  buds  of  the  base.  These  different 
cases  are  mentioned  because  it  frequently  cutting  back, 
happens  that  persons  who  live  at  a great  distance  from 
nurseries,  find  their  trees  frequently,  on  their  arrival,  in 
the  condition  described,  and  it  is  necessary  that  a course 
of  treatment  for  them  should  be  indicated.  The  bud  cut 
to,  should,  if  possible,  be  one  of  the  best  on  the  stem,  and 
be  on  the  side  of  the  tree  opj)osite  that  in  which  the  bud 
was  inserted,  so  as  to  continue  the  stem  in  a straight  line. 

It  is  a great  advantage  to  have  a tree  well  established 
in  the  ground,  before  cutting  it  back  to  produce  the  first 
branches  to  form  the  pyramid  ; because,  in  that  condition, 
it  is  capable  of  producing  vigorous  shoots  the  first  season. 


210 


PRUNING. 


It  is  on  this  account  that  a young  tree,  cut  back  in  the  nur- 
presents  a much  more  perfect  form  at  the  end  of  the 
second  year,  than  those  that  have  been  transplanted 
Some  of  the  French  cultivators  advise  to  defer  the  cutting 
back  for  the  formation  of  the  permanent  branches,  till  the 
plant  has  stood  one  year  after  transplanting ; but  the  course 
is  attended  with  many  difficulties,  and  oh  the  whole  it  is 
better  to  cut  back  when  the  tree  is  planted,  even  if  we 
obtain  but  a moderate  growth,  for  the  older  the  buds  are 
on  the  lower  parts  of  the  tree,  the  more  obstinate  and 
unmanageable  they  are. 

Pruning  the  Branched  Yemiing. — Among  trees  of  this 
kind,  some  have  branches  a foot  or  more  in  length,  while 
in  others  they  resemble  short,  stiff  spurs,  two  to  four  inches 
long.  These  two  characters  require  different  modes  of 
treatment.  Where  there  are  branches  of  sufficient  force 
and  properly  situated  to  form  the  first  series  of  main 
branches,  they  must  be  treated  in  the  same  manner  as 
though  the  tree  were  two  years  old.  The 
strongest  and  best  situated  are  selected  and 
pruned  to  within  four  to  six  inches  of  their 
base,  according  to  their  vigor  and  position ; 
the  lowest  should  be  not  more  than  six  inches 
from  the  stock.  The  small,  feeble,  superfiuous 
ones  are  entirely  removed ; the  leading  shoot^ 
which,  in  such  cases,  is  short  and  provided 
with  plump  buds,  does  not  require  a heavy 
shortening ; in  most  cases  one  half  will  be 
quite  sufficient.  Fig.  105  represents  a tree 
of  this  kind  ; the  cross-lines  indicate  the  cuts, 
veariing  pear  tree  Where  the  lateral  branches  are  short  and 
with  branches,  the  gp-Qj-like,  thev  will  require  very  careful  treat- 

pruning  indicated  ^ ?»/  x t/ 

by  the  spaces.  ment ; the  strongest  and  best  placed  are 
reserved.  If  the  lower  ones  have  good  terminal  buds, 
theV  are  left  entire;  those  above  them  are  shortened,  the 


THE  APPLE  AND  THE  PEAR. 


211 


lower  to  tliree,  the  next  above  to  two,  and  the  uppermost, 
next  the  leading  shoot,  to  one  bud.  This  will  give  their 
productions  a proper  relative  degree  of  vigor.  The  leader 
is  cut  back  further  than  in  the  well  branched  subject, 
because  it  is  presumed  the  buds  are  less  excitable.  As  a 
general  thing,  within  four  to  six  buds  of  the  highest  lateral, 
or  one  half  of  its  length. 

There  is  another  class  of  trees  necessary  to  be  noticed 
here,  because  they  are  very  common — two  yea/p  old  nv/r- 
sery  trees  that  ham  not  heen  properly  treated. 

Fig.  106  represents  a tree  of  this  kind.  A 
few  inches  only  of  the  top  were  taken  off  at 
the  commencement  of  the  second  year’s 
growth,  and  after  that  it  was  left  to  itself. 

Branches,  therefore,  were  produced  only  at 
the  top,  leaving  a vacant  space  of  two  feet, 
the  very  part  that  should  have  produced  the 
first  set  of  main  branches.  The  best  disposi- 
tion to  make  of  such  a tree  would  be  to  con- 
duct it  in  the  form  of  a dwarf  standard,  which 
it  really  is  at  present ; but  it  happens  that  in 
some  cases  it  is  desired  to  convert  them  into 
pyramids,  and  therefore  it  is  essential  that  the 
proper  means  be  pointed  out.  Two  year  old 
trees,  like  yearlings,  differ  materially  in  the 

1 ucc,  ijut 

character  of  the  buds  on  the  lower  part  of  the  back  far  enough 
stem.  On  some,  these  are  quite  prominent,  so  l^fon^prun- 
much  so  as  to  aj)pear  to  have  made  some  ad-  produce 

vance  towards  development,  while  in  others 
they  are  quite  ff  at  and  dormant.  It  is  obvious 
that  trees  in  the  first  condition  will  not  require  that  severe 
retrenchment  on  the  head  to  produce  branches  below,  as 
the  last.  In  this  case  it  will  generally  be  sufficient,  and 
especially  if  the  space  between  the  stock  and  first  branches 
does  not  txceed  two  feet,  to  cut  back  the  leader  to  three 


212 


PRUNING. 


buds,  and  the  lateral  branches  below  it  to  one  bud  ; but 
when  the  buds  are  small  and  backward,  or  when  the 
branchless  space  is  over  two  feet  in  length,  the  two  year 
old  wood  must  be  cut  back  to  within  eighteen  inches  to 
two  feet  of  the  base.  We  find  that  in  the  case  of  imported 
trees,  or  those  carried  a great  distance,  and  more  or  less 
injured,  nothing  short  of  this  severe  cutting  can  ensure 
branches  low  enough  to  form  a pyramidal  tree.  It  seems 
a great  pity  to  cut  back  a tree  in  this  manner,  and  lose  a 
year  or  two  of  its  growth  and  bearing,  but  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  when  the  pyramidal  form  is  wanted.  There  is 
still  another  class  of  trees  that  we  sometimes  see  sent  out 
from  the  nm^series.  These  are  two  or  three  years  old ; 
have  been  cut  back,  and  are  pretty  well  furnished,  in  all 
their  length,  with  lateral  branches  ; but  from  the  want  of 
proper  care,  those  on  the  upper  parts  have  acquired  greater 
vigor  than  those  below,  presenting  the  tree  in  a situation 
just  the  reverse,  in  this  respect,  of  what  it  ought  to  be. 
In  pruning  this  subject  at  the  time  of  planting,  the  lower 
branches  must  either  be  shortened  very  slightlj^  in  order 
to  get  a strong  bud  for  a leader,  or  they  must  be  left 
entire,  while  those  above  will  be  cut  close ; where  we  want 
the  longest  and  strongest  branches,  there  we  leave  the 
most  wood. 

The  most  important  pruning  performed  upon  a tree  is 
first  one^  for  it  is  this  which  makes  all  future  manage- 
ment easy  and  successful,  or  difficult  and  unsatisfactory. 
This  is  the  reason  why  it  has  appeared  necessary' to  treat 
of  it  so  minutely.  Having  encountered  all  the  difficulties 
that  others  are  likely  to  encounter,  and  having  described 
them  and  pointed  out  the  means  by  which  they  are  to  be 
overcome,  it  is  believed  that  the  matter  has  been  made  so 
plain,  that  any  man  of  ordinary  intelligence,  and  possess- 
ing the  slightest  knowledge  of  tree  culture,  can  take  his 
knife  and  prepare  his  trees  in  such  a manner  as  to  give 


THE  APPLE  AND  THE  PEAK. 


213 


him  a mo8t  reasonable  hope  of  attaining  his  ends.  We 
now  proceed  to  the 

Summer  management  of  trees  thus  cut  hack, — We  will 
first  consider  the  case  of  the  yearling  without  branches. 
If  it  has  been  cut  low  enough,  as  directed,  all  the  buds 
below  the  cut  will  push.  As  a space  of  six  inches  should 
be  kept  clear  between  the  ground  and  the  first  or  lowest 
tier  of  branches,  such  shoots  as  may  appear  on  that 
part  will  be  rubbed  off  at  once.  Of  the  remaining  ones, 
a certain  number,  three  to  six,  according  to  the  length  of 
the  stem,  will  be  reserved.  These  must  be  the  strongest, 
and  properly  situated  on  the  stem,  within  eight  to  ten 
inches  of  space  between  each  branch,  and  that  immedi- 
ately above  it,  and  regularly  placed  on  all  sides  of  the 
stem.  Some  recommend  leaving  on  all  the  shoots  that 
are  produced  the  first  season  ; but  in  certain  cases  this 
would  be  bad  practice,  for  if  the  buds  be  very  close,  the 
shoots  would  be  so  numerous  that  the  strength  of  them 
all  would  be  impaired,  and  much  pruning  would  be 
required  the  next  season.  The  better  way  is  to  select 
such  as  are  wanted,  and  rub  off  the  others  ; the  sap  which 
they  would  have  appropriated  will  be  turned  to  the 
account  of  the  permanent  branches,  and  increase  their 
vigor.  The  leading  shoot  must  be  directed  in  a straight 
line  ; in  some  cases  a support  may  be  necessary.  If  the 
branches  immediately  below  it  are  so  vigorous  as  to  inter- 
fere with  its  growth,  they  must  be  checked  by  pinching. 
In  some  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  do  this  when  they 
are  an  inch  or  two  in  length.  It  sometimes  occurs  that 
the  bud  cut  to  is  . injured  by  the  weather,  close  cutting, 
or  some  other  cause,  and  pushes  so  feebly  that  the  laterals 
below  it  having  more  vigor  take  the  lead.  This  must  be 
prevented  in  time.  A proper  relative  degree  of  vigor 
must  be  maintained  among  all  the  branches,  by  checking 
when  necessary  the  most  vigorous. 


214 


THjmmG. 


The  first  summer’s  treatment  of  the  branched  yearling 
(fig.  105.)  will  consist  in  Maintaining  a uniform  growth 
among  the  lateral  branches,  and  in  the  case  of  the  leading 
shoot,  as  already  described.  Some  lateral  shoots  will  be 
produced  on  the  branches,  and  these  must  all  be  pinched 
at  an  inch  or  two,  as  it  is  yet  too  soon  to  allow  of  the  for- 
mation of  secondary  branches.  The  summer  treatment 
of  fig.  106,  the  two  year  old  tree,  will  be  conducted  on 
the  same  principles.  The  encouragement  of  the  leading 
shoot  will  require  special  attention  to  secure  it  in  an  up 
right  position,  as,  in  many  cases,  where  two  year  old  wood 
is  cut  back,  the  leading  shoots  assume  a horizontal  or 
curved  direction. 

The  second  pruning. — Wq  have  now  a tree  composed  of 
two  sections : the  first  is  the  two-year-old  part,  furnished 
with  lateral  branches  ; and  the  second,  the  leading  shoot  • 
produced  last  season.  (Fig.  107.)  In  pruning  it,  our  object 
will  be  to  establish  a new  section  of 
branches  on  the  leader,  to  continue  the 
prolongment  of  the  lower  branches,  and  to 
induce  the  formation  of  fruit  spurs  towards 
their  base.  To  accomplish  these  ends,  we 
shorten  the  leader  or  stem,  on  the  same 
principle  in  relation  to  its  character,  as 
already  directed  for  the  yearling  trees, 
from  one-half  to  two-thirds  its  length,  and 
sometimes  more.  Every  bud  between  the 
one  we  cut  to  and  the  base  of  the  shoot, 
should  push ; and  the  bud  to  produce  the 
leader  should  be  large,  perfectly  formed, 
and  opposite  the  cut  of  the  previous  year. 

The  lateral  branches  on  the  first  section  Fig.  io7. 
are  shortened  according  to  their  vigor,  ^ p®” 

^ 7 having  made  one 

always  remembering  that  the  lowest  must  year’s  growth  after  the 
be  the  longest,  to  carry  out  the  pyramidal  pruning. 


THE  APPLE  AHD  THE  PEAK. 


215 


form.  They  should  also  be  cut  back  sufRciently  to  insure 
the  growth  of  all  the  buds  on  them.  This  point  requires 
considerable  care,  for  if  not  cut  back  enough,  the  interior 
of  the  trees  becomes  naked,  instead  of  being  supplied  with 
shoots  for  bearing  spurs;  and  if  cut  back  too  far,  the 
shoots  will  be  too  vigorous  and  difficult  to  control.  The 
appearance  of  the  buds,  and  the  habits  of  the  variety, 
will  be  a sufficient  guide  if  properly  studied. 

Treatment  of  the  growing  shoots, — ^When  the  buds  have 
all  started  and  made  a growth  of  an  inch  or  two,  their 
force  and  forwardness  will  indicate  the  uses  to  be  made 
of  them.  Each  of  the  main  branches  of  the  first  section 
may  be  considered  as  a stem ; its  leader  will  require  the 
same  treatment  to  favor  its  extension.  At  this  time  a 
secondary  branch  may  be  required  to  fill  up  the  space 
which  widens  as  the  branches  extend.  If  so,  a shoot  is 
selected  for  this  purpose,  and  all  the  others  on  the  same 
branch  are  checked  at  two  inches,  and  converted  into 
fruit  branches.  All  the  laterals  are  treated  in  this  way. 
The  second  section,  now  in  process  of  formation,  must  be 
managed  as  directed  for  the  first  section.  During  the 
first  season,  the  requisite  number  of  shoots  is  preserved, 
ana  the  superfluous  ones  removed  early.  The  leader  is 
maintained  erect ; and  the  laterals  immediately  below  it, 
being  always  inclined  to  vigorous  growth,  must  be  checked 
to  keep  them  in  a proper  condition  relative  to  the  leader 
and  the  branches  below  them.  The  leading  shoot  must 
always  maintain  its  pre-eminence.  It  often  happens  that 
the  lateral  shoots  of  the  main  branches  that  have  been 
pinched  will  start  and  grow  again.  In  such  cases  an- 
other pinching  must  be  performed  within  an  inch  of  the 
previous  one.  As  a general  thing,  this  will  be  sufficient; 
but  ii  not,  a third  must  be  given  in  the  same  way  ; for  if 
they  be  allowed  to  extend  into  wood  branches  they  will 
require  knife  pruning,  and  create  confusion  among  all 


216 


PRUNING. 


parts  of  the  tree.  A very  general  error  in  conducting 
trees  of  this  kind,  and  indeed  all  others,  is  to  allow  the 
branches  to  be  too  close  to  each  other,  so  that  when  they 
come  to  bear,  the  wood,  foliage,  and  fruit,  on  the  interior, 
are  so  excluded  from  the  air  and  light  that  they  all 
suffer.  The  fruit  is  imperfect,  and  the  spurs  become 
feeble  and  gradually  perish.  The  tree  has  now  two 
branched  sections,  each  from  twelve  inches  to  two  feet,  as 
the  case  may  be,  and  with  four  to  six  branches  on  each ; 
the  leading  shoot  is  from  one  to  three  feet  in  length. 

The  a verage  height 
of  three  year  old  trees, 

O’l  the  quince  in  our 
grounds,  transplanted  at 
one  year  old,  and  twice 
pruned,  is  five  to  six 
feet.  A few  very  vigu 
rous  growing  varieties, 
that  throw  up  a leader 
every  season  three  to  four 
feet  in  length,  are  seven 
to  eight  feet;  but  these 
are  comparatively  few  in 
number. 

Third  pruning, — ^This 
is  done  on  precisely 
the  same  principles  laid 
down  for  the  second. 

The  leader  of  the  stems 
is  cut  back  in  proportion 
to  its  vigor,  the  lateral 
branches  are  also  short-  ^ 

pruned,  having  three  branch  sections,  a,  b,  c, 
ened  in  the  same  man-  seven  feet  high,  and  furnished  in  the  lower 
ner.  It  must  always  be  The  cross  ii„es  i„dic*s 

«/  the  fourth  pruning. 

kept  in  mind  that  the 


TirE  APELE  AND  THE  PEAR. 


217 

lowest  branches  must  be  longest,  and  when  it  happens 
tliat  they  clo^  not  take  their  due  proportion  of  vigor  as 
compared  with  those  above  them,  and  if  pinching  has 
not  been  duly  attended  to  the  past  summer,  to  maintain 

regularity,  the  weaker  must  now  be  favored  with  a Iona 
pruning.  ^ 

Fig.  108  represents  a four-year  old  pear  tree  of  the  white 
Doyenne,  three  times  pruned,  «,  J,  c. 

It  has  been  remarked,  that  the  habits  of  growth  and 
bearing  ot  the  pear  and  apple  are  similar,  but  it  should 
e noted,  that  m treating  them  as  pyramids,  the  apple 
tree  is  more  liable  to  lose  its  vigor  at  the  top,  and  there- 
fore it  IS  necessary  to  keep  an  eye  to  this  point  in  their 
management.  Jrom  what  has  been  said  with  reference 
to  an  equal  distribution  of  the  sap,  the  remedy  for  this 
difiiculty  will  be  obvious,  viz.,  to  reduce  the  vigor  of  the 
lower  parts  by  pinching,  shortening,  and  heavy  crops 
and  to  tavor  the  upper  part  by  long  pruning  L thS- 
ning,  or  wholly  removing  the  fruits 

Management  of  the  fruU  Iranches.-Khoni  the  sixth 
to  the  eighth  year,  from  the  first  pruning  of  the  tree  it- 
wi  I have  attained  nearly  as  great  tensions  as  in  many 

-a 

After  this  period,  the  object  of  the  pruning  will  b-  to 
p'ontthe  extension  of  the  tree,  and  mainfairthe  fruSt 
earing  paits  in  a healthy  and  productive  state.  Without 
proper  care  they  will  be  liable  to  suflfer  from  bearing  too. 

Tofrirmnish  the  growth,  and  favor  the  fruit  branches 
order  before,  in 

when  the  frlli  t ^™*s,  ^nd 
near  one  another  too  numerous,  so  as  to  be  too. 

another,^and  produce  more  fruit  than  the  tree 


218 


PRUNING. 


can  sustain  with  safety,  a portion  of  them  must  be  pruned 
off.  The  lower  parts  always  experience  this  difficulty 
first,  the  sap  circulating  more  slowly  there  than  in  the 
summit.  Fruit  spurs  of  the  pear  and  apple,  if  well 
managed,  continue  in  a vigorous  bearing  state  for  a great 
many  years.  To  renew  and  prolong  their  vigor,  the  older 
parts  must,  from  time  to  time,  be  cut  away,  and  new  pro- 
ductions created  at  their  base  to  take  their  place. 

Pruning  and  management  of  the  Apple  as  a dwarf 
on  the  paradise  stock. 

Nothing  is  more  simple  than  the  treatment  of  these 
little  bushes. 

They  should  have  short  stems,  six  to  eight  inches  from 
the  ground,  and  the  head  should  not  be  allowed  to  exceed 
three  to  three  and  a half  feet  in  height,  because  the  roots 
are  very  small,  and  do  not  take  such  a firm  hold  of  the 
ground  as  to  admit  of  a head  that  would  offer  much  ob- 
Stacie  to  the  wind.  The  branches  should  be  evenly  dis- 
tributed around  the  head,  open  in  the  centre,  in  the  form 
of  a vase,  and  be  furnished  in  all  their  parts  wdth  bearing 
spurs. 

These  are  the  points  to  aim  at  in  commencing  the 
formation  of  these  trees.  The  proceedings  are  as  follows: 

1st.  Pruning, — ^We  will  suppose  that  the  subject  is  a 
yearling  bud  or  graft,  a single  shoot  eighteen  to  twenty 
inches  in  height.  In  this  case,  the  stem  is  cut  back  to  the 
point  where  it  is  intended  to  form  the  head,  six  to  ten 
inches,  as  the  case  may  be,  from  the  stock.  Below  this, 
most  of  the  buds  will  start  and  form  shoots,  from  which 
we  select  three  or  four  of  the  strongest  and  best  situated, 
equally  distant,  if  possible,  around  the  stem,  and  rub  or 
pinch  off  all  the  others.  The  growth  of  the  branches 
thus  selected  for  a head,  is  encouraged  during  the  first 
season,  by  keeping  down  all  other  productions  that  mav 
appear 


JTHE  APPLE  AND  HIE  PEAR. 


219 


2d.  Pt  uning. — ^The  tree  has  now  tliree  or  four  branches 
destined  to  be  the  basis  of  the  frame-work  of  the 
head.  These  branches  are  cut  back  full  one  half 
tlieir  length,  according  as  the  buds  in  the  variety  are 
easily  excited  or  not,  the  object  being  to  induce  all 
the  l)iids  below  the  cut  to  push.  After  growth  has 
commenced,  and  an  inch  or  two  of  new  wood  been  made, 
tlie  si  loot  from  the  bud  cut  to,  will  be  chosen  as  a 
leader  to  continue  the  extension  of  the  branch ; and  if 
secondary  branches  be  wanted,  they  will  be  chosen  fi^om 
those  best  situated,  to  fill  up  the  existing  vacancies.  All 
the  other  shoots  are  pinched  when  two  or  three  inches 
long,  to  convert  them  into  fruit  spurs,  and  to  prevent 
their  interfering  with  the  growth  of  the  wood  branches. 
If  one  pinching  is  not  sufficient,  another  must  be  giver, 
in  the  same  way  as  recommended  for  pyramidal  trees, 
indeed,  the  whole  process,  as  far  as  it  goes,  is  the  same ; 
but  the  same  efforts  are  not 
necessary  to  maintain  an  equal 
distribution  of  the  sap,  for  the 
tree  is  so  low,  and  the  form  so 
natural,  that  no  branch  is  more 
favorably  situated  than  another  ; 
and  hence  they  are  easily  kept  in 
an  uniform  state  of  vigor.  The 
branches  of  irregular-growing 
sorts  will  require  to  be  secured 
by  stakes  in  their  proper  places 
for  a year  or  two  at  first,  until 
they  have  assumed  a permanent 
position. 

A old,  stem  ten  inches  high,  head' 

The  third,  and  all  subsequent  of  four  main  branchet 

pi  ningS,  Will  be  conducted  on  pruned  three  times  as  at  o,  6,  now 
the  same  principles  as  the  first  ^ tearing  state. 

and  second,  already  described,  until  the  tree  has  attained 


Fig.  109. 


‘220 


PRUNING. 


its  full  size.  Fig.  109  represents  a dN^rarf  apple  tree,  foui 
years  .>ld,  three  times  pruned — the  two  last  piTinings  are 
indicated  by  the  letters  a and  h. 

Management  of  the  Bearing  Tree,— hi  ^most  cases  the 
apple  on  the  paradise  is  disposed  to  excessive  fruitfulness, 
and  unless  the  fruit  branches  be  occasionally  thinned  and 
shortened,  in  order  to  reduce  the  number  of  bearing 
buds,  and  to  produce  new  wood,  the  trees  become  enfee- 
bled.  Bad  management  of  this  kind  has  promulgated 
the  belief  that  the  apple  on  the  paradise  is  exceed- 
ingly short-lived  ; but  the  fact  that  plantations  exists  in  the 
most  perfect  vigor  at  the  end  of  tw^elve  to  fifteen  years 
after  planting,  shows  that  by  proper  treatment  their  exist- 
ence is  not  so  fleeting.  The  spurs  must  be  managed  in  a 
manner  similar  to  that  described  in  treating  of  pyramids, 
to  renew  them,  and  the  slender  fruit  branches  must  be  short- 
ened. This,  in  addition  to  the  manuring  to  be  hereafter 
described,  constitutes  the  substance  of  their  management. 

The  Pruning  and  Management  of  the  Ajpple  and  Pea/r 
as  es^^aliers. — In  the  cool,  moist  climate  of  England,  this 
is  a popular  and  advantageous  method  of  training  apples 
and  pears.  The  specimens  of  this  kind  in  public  and 
private  gardens  there,  are  admirable  in  their  way,  and 
illustrate  the  skill  and  handiwork  of  the  English  gardener 
very  favorably.  But  our  climate  is  not  suitable  as  a gen- 
eral thing  for  espaliers  ; the  branches  are  so  exposed  to 
the  rays  of  our  powerful  sun,  that  the  sap  is  impeded  in 
its  circulation,  and  the  fruits  fall.  It  is,  therefore,  un- 
necessary to  enter  into  any  detail  respecting  this  mode  of 
training ; but  there  may  be  situations  where  such  a sys- 
tem may  succeed,  and  espe>cially  in  the  north.  The  best 
espalier  form  for  the  apple  and  pear,  is  that  of  the  hori- 
zontal,^  that  is,  an  upright  central  stem,  with  horizontal 
arms  or  branches  at  equal  distances  on  both  sides  (fig. 
110).  The  production  of  this  tree  depends  in  the  main 


TIIK  APPLE  .VND  THE  PEAR. 


22] 


an  the  same  principles  as  the  pyramid,  and  does  not  re- 
quire illustration.  The  young  tree  is  cut  back  to  within 
six  inches  of  the  ground.  From  the  shoots  produced  be- 


Fig.  110. 

Pear  tree  trained  horizontally, 

low  that  point,  three  are  selected,  the  upper  one  to  form 
the  upright  leader  or  stem,  and  two  lateral  or  side 
ones  to  form  the  two  first  arms.  The  first  season  these 
shoots  are  allowed  to  grow  upright  and  are  kept  in  equal 
vigor.  At  the  commencement  of  the  second  season,  they 
are  all  clit  back  far  enough,  say  one  third  to  one  half  their 
.ength,  or  even  more  in  some  cases,  to  ensure  the  growth 
of  all  the  buds. 

fu  on  each  is  selected  for  a leader,  and 

e others  are  pinched  at  two  inches  or  less.  After  the 
pruning,  the  arms  are  brought  down  half  way  to  a hori- 
zontal position,  and  towards  the  latter  end  of" the  season, 
wholly.  An  uniformity  of  growth  among  all  the  parts  is 
maintained  according  to  the  means  and  principles  already 
aid  down,  and  year  after  year  the  tree  is  thus  treated 
un  1 t e requisite  height  and  number  of  horizontal  arms 
or  branches  be  obtained.  In  the  case  of  very  vigorous 
growing  sorts  the  leader  may  be  stopped  in  June,  and 
thus  a second  pair  of  arms  be  produced  in  one  year.  The 
uprig  t leader  and  the  branches  are  treated  in  a similar 
manner— -a  difference  in  vigor  always  requiring  a corres- 
{»n  mg  ifference  in  treatment.  For  espaliers,  the  apple 
should  be  on  the  j?arad^e  or  Dmcain,  and  the  pear  on 


222 


PEUNING. 


the  quince^  because  these  stocks  all  diminish  the  vigor  of 
wood  growth,  which  is  often  the  chief  difficulty  in  man 
aging  trained  trees. 

The  aspect  for  these  trees  shoidd  never  be  due  south. 
A railing  to  train  such  trees  on,  is  made  of  upright  posts 
sunk  in  the  ground,  and  connected  with  cross  bars,  at 
eight  to  twelve  inches  apart,  upon  w'hich  the  arms  of  the 
espalier  are  fastened  with  willow  or  bass  matting.  Mr. 
Rivers,  in  his  “ Miniature  Fruit  Garden,”  exhibits  a sys- 
tem of  growing  pears  in  espalier,  in  the  form  of  pyramids, 
:as  adopted  by  himself.  I saw  these  trees  when  in  Eng- 
land, in  1849,  and  although  it  appeared  a very  ingenious 
.and  economical  arrangement,  admitting  a great  number 
■of  varieties  in  a small  space,  and  besides  very  well 
.adapted  to  an  English  climate,  yet  it  did  not  appear  to  offer 
any  advantages  that  would  warrant  its  recommendation 
in  this  country,  unless  under  rare  circumstances  in  the 
most  northern  sections.  Whoever  will  study  attentively 
the  means  described  for  conducting  a pyramid,  can  suc- 
ceed fully  in  training  the  espaliers  or  wall  pyramid. 

Section  2. — Peuning  and  Teaining  the  Quince. 

As  ordinarily  grown,  the  quince  is  the  most  neglected, 
and  consequently,  the  most  unsightly,  deformed  tree  to  be 
found  in  the  orchard  or  garden,  and  yet,  Avhen  Avell  treated, 
it  is  really,  both  when  in  blossom  and  in  fruit,  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  all  our  fruit  trees.  Its  fruit  is  more 
-esteemed,  and  more  generally  used  in  this  than  in  any 
■other  country.  It  is  naturally  a crooked  or  spreading 
bush,  and  without  some  attention  to  pruning  and  training 
when  young,  it  assumes  an  irregular  form,  branching  near 
the  ground,  and  quite  destitute  of  bearing  wood  on  all  its 
lower  and  interior  parts.  It  is  in  this  neglected  form  we 
most  generally  find  it.  To  make  a regular  and  handsome 


THE  QUINCE. 


223 


little  tree,  we  have  only,  in  the  first  place,  to  rear  a 
stiaight  and  stont  trunk  about  two  or  three  feet  high. 

It  the  plants  be  weak  or  crooked  when  planted,  they 
slioidd  be  cut  low  down  to  obtain  a stout  and  straight 
stem.  Tlie  young  shoot  should  be  kept  tied  up  to  a stake 
to  prev'eiit  it  from  straggling. 

Tlie  second  year,  if  the  growth  has  been  vigorous,  and 
low  trees  are  desired,  the  head  may  be  commenced.  But 
if  a stem  three  or  four  feet  high  be  desired,  it  should  be 
at  least  one  inch  in  diameter,  and  another  year’s  growth 
may  be  necessary. 

TJie  head  is  formed  in  the  same  manner  as  described  for 
standard  and  dwarf  apples  and  pears.  It  should  be 
round,  symmetrical,  and  open,  and  well  furnished  on  all 
parts  with  bearing  wood. 

The  bearing  branches  or  spurs  of  the  quince  are  small 
twiggy  shoots  {B,  fig. 

Ill),  produced  on  wood 
at  least  two  years  old. 

These  bear  two,  thi’ee, 
or  more  fruit  buds. 

These  produce  shoots 
two  or  three  inches 
long  {0,  fig.  Ill),  on 
the  point  of  which  the 
fruit  is  borne  singly. 

These  spurs  have  al- 
ways wood  buds  as  well 
as  fruit  buds,  and  there- 
fore they  should  be 
shortened  back  as  to 

fig-  111,  the  spring 
after  they  have  borne,  ^ 
m order  to  produce  new  sC 
spurs  at  the  same  point. 


224 


PRUNING. 


The  French  conduct  it  in  beautiful  pyramids,- bn  pre- 
cisely the  same  principle  as  the  pear  and  apple  ; but  the 
leading  shoot  must  be  kept  fastened  an  upright  sup- 
port— a small  rod  attached  to  the  base — on  account  of  its 
reclining  habit.  The  medlar  is  but  little  cultivated.  Its 
treatoent  may  be  exactly  similar  to  that  described  for  the 
quince,  its  habits,  of  growth  and  bear  ng  being  similai. 

Section  3. — Pruning  the  Cherry. 

The  cherry  is  conducted  in  any  desirable  form  witi  as 
much  facility  as  any  of  all  our  hardy  fruit  trees.  The 
heart  and  iigarreau  classes  are  very  rapid  growers,  often 
.attaining  the  height  of  six  feet  the  first  season  from  the 
bud  or  graft,  and  in  two  years  forming  fine  standard  trees 
?six  to  seven  feet  high,  with  a fev/  top  shoots.  They  have 
.also  large,  droojfing  leaves,  and,  with  few  exceptions,  stiff, 
erect,  or  slightly  curved  branches. 

The  duke  class  does  not  grow"  so  rapidly.  The  branches 
are  stift‘  and  erect,  the  leaves  smaller  as  a general  thing 
than  the  preceding  classes,  more  erect,  thicker,  and  of  a 
deeper,  darker  green  color. 

The  morellos  are  of  a bushy  habit,  with  smaller  leaves 
than  any  of  the  preceding  classes,  and  the  branches  are 
more  slender  and  closer  together.  The  bark  of  all  is  very 
tough,  being  composed  of  several  layers  of  pow^erful 
fibres  and  tissue.  It  does  not  yield  readily,  like  that  of 
most  other  fruit  trees,  to  the  expansion  or  growth  of  the 
wood,  and  this  occasions  the  bursting  and  exuding  of  gum 
in  certain  localities,  especially  in  the  more  rapid  growing 
classes.  The  mode  of  bearing  has  already  been  described 
under  the  head  of  fruit  branches,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
work.  The  fruit  is  produced  on  wood  three  years  old 
thus  : The  shoot  of  last  year’s  growth,  W'hich  is  furnished 
DOW  with  leaf  buds  in  all  its  length,  will  produce  at  the 


THE  CHEERY, 


225 

point,  if  not  shortened,  one  or  more  shoots,  and  ail  the 
buds  remaining  are,  during  the  season,  transformed  into 
clusters  of  fruit  buds,  and  produce  fruit  the  year  follow- 
ing. In  the  centre  of  these  clusters  of  fruit  buds  there  is 
always  a wood  bud,  and  this  grows  a little  and  produces 
new  clusters  of  fruit  buds  to  replace  those  that  have 
borne.  Some  of  the  morellos  produce  fruit  on  two-year- 
old  wood,  like  the  peach,  the  leaf  buds  being  transformed 
into  fruit  buds.  During  the  second  growth  of  the  first 
season  of  their  formation,  the  fruit  bud  is  very  easilv 
distinguished  from  the  leaf  bud  by  its  roundness  and 
plumpness. 

Pruning  the  Cherry  a 8tandard.~ln  Western  New 
York  the  cherry  succeeds  so  well,  and  is  so  totally  exempt 
from  the  bursting  of  the  bark,  that  trees  can  be  grown 
safely  with  trunks  five  or  six  feet  high  ; but  in  the  West 
ivhen  this  malady  prevails,  the  less  there  be  of  a naked 
trunk  the  better;  for  it  is  the  tmnk  and  large  branches 
that  are  generally  so  affected.  As  a standard,  the  cherry 
requires  very  little  pruning.  ^ 

To  form  a round  open  W.-We  will  take  for  exam- 
ple a ^mung  tree  two  years  old,  having  three  or  four  top 
bnmcbes.  These  a.  the  time  of  plaatlg  should  be  S 
back  to  authiu  tone  oi-  five  buds  of  their  base,  and  X 

wfot  ™">ber  of  shoots, 

ceWt  a *be  framework  of  the  head  are 

piuSlTSb^'* 

ened  to  produce  secondary  branches  to  fill  up  spaces  and 

Of  the  tief  “ tte  head 

to  teft  T its T®*  “ 'o™.  thereafter,  may 

to  left  to  dself, ^except  to  remove  occasionally  braichea 


226 


PRUNING. 


that  may  cross  or  interfere  with  one  another.  Our  stand- 
ard trees  here  are  in  the  best  possible  condition,  and  have 
not  had  a knife  on  them,  except  to  cut  scions  for  budding 
or  grafting,  in  seven  years. 

Pymmidal  Headed  Standards, — Certain  varieties,  for 
instance,  Sjparhawlds  Honey Downer'^ s,^CTiina  Bigarreau,^ 
Black  Tartarian,^  Black  Heart,^  and  some  others,  make 
fine  pyramidal  shaped  heads  without  pruning,  more  than 
to  give  the  leader  its  due  superiority  at  the  beginning,  and 
to  remove  afterwards  crossing  and  superfluous  branches. 

Such  varieties  as  the  Yellow  Spanish,  Black  Eagle, 
Knight’s  Ey.  Black,  Elton,  and  all  the  spreading  sorts 
should  have  round  open  heads  built  upon  three  or  four 
main  branches  as  described. 

Pruning  the  Cherry  as  a Pyramid. — The  same  process 
recommended  for  the  pyramidal  training  of  the  pear  and 
apple,  may  be  applied  with  complete  success  to  the  cherry. 
We  have  now  in  our  specimen  grounds  a collection  of  all 
the  classes  trained,  according  to  the  method  described, 
and  their  condition  is  in  every  respect  satisfactory ; they 
have  all  given  fruit  the  third  year. 

In  most  cases  the  trees  were  taken  from  the  nursery 
iwvs  at  the  end  of  their  first  season’s  growth  from  the  bud. 
Some  had  no  side  branches,  and  others  had.  It  is  very 
common  for  cherries  and  especially  the  Dukes  and  Morel- 
los  to  form  a number  of  lateral  branches  the  first  season. 
Growth  becomes  slightly  suspended,  or  at  least  goes  on 
vei'y  slowly  in  July  ; during  this  time  the  buds  on  the 
lov/er  part  acquire  a sort  of  maturity,  and  when  a new 
grr)wth  commences  they  push  and  form  shoots.  Cherry 
trees  of  this  kind  are  in  a good  condition  for  pyramids. 
We  select  from  these  the  strongest  and  best  situated  to 
form  the  lower  tier  of  permanent  branches  ; the  lower  ones 
are  shortened  to  four  or  five  buds,  and  the  upper  ones  to 
two  or  three.  The  leader  or  stem  is  cut  back  to  within 


THE  CHEERY. 


227 


fiix,  eight,  or  ten  buds  of  tlie  branches.  Those  having  no 
branches  are  cut  back  to  within  six  or  eight  buds  of  the 
stock.  And  this  is  the  first  pruning. 

Treatment  durmg  the  first  Summer  after  Pruning. — 
When  the  young  shoots  have  grown  a couple  of  inches  in 
length,  sucli  as  are  intended  for  permanent  branches  are 
chosen,  and  the  others  are  pinched  in  the  same  manner  as 
recommended  for  pears  and  apples.  Such  as  acquire 
more  vigor  than  is  consistent  with  their  position,  must  be 
checked.  It  frequently  happens  that  unless  the  leader 
has  been  cut  back  close,  only  three  or  four  shoots  will  be 
produced  at  the  extremity,  leaving  a vacant  space  below. 
This  can  be  remedied  in  most  cases  by  pinching  the  shoots 
around  the  leader  when  they  have  grown  about  an  inch. 
In  some  cases  it  may  be  necessary  even  to  check  the 
leader  to  force  the  lower  buds  into  growth.  This  is  a point 
of  considerable  importance  in  conducting  a pyramid,  and 
should  never  be  lost  sight  of. 

The  Cherry  as  an  Espalier. — Except  it  be  the  training 
of  the  morello,  or  some  other  late  varieties,  on  a north 
wall  to  prolong  their  season  of  maturity,  the  cherry  is  sel- 
dom grown  as  ah  espalier  tree  in  this  country,  nor  is  it  to 
be  recommended  except  in  some  rare  instances.  The 
simj)lest  and  probably  the  best  form  is  that  suggested  for 
pears  and  apples,  an  upright  stem  with  horizontal  branches. 
To  produce  this  the  same  means  are  employed  as  have 
been  previously  described.  If  the  tree  has  no  side 
branches  proper  for  the  first  arms,  it  must  be  cut  back  to 
within  six  inches  of  the  ground,  and  from  the  shoots  pro- 
duced below  that,  one  is  selected  for  the  leader,  and  one 
on  each  side  for  the  first  horizontal  branches ; the  other 
shoots  are  pinched  off.  At  the  next  pruning,  the  leader 
is  again  shortened  to  produce  another  pair  of  side  branches 
eight  or  ten  inches  from  the  first ; the  leader  is  continued 
in  an  upright  direction,  and  the  side  branches  are  brought 


228 


PKiosrmG. 


half  way  down  in  midsummer,  and  at  the  following  spring 
pruning  they  are  placed  in  the  horizontal  position.  The 
leading  shoot  of  rapid  growing  sorts  may  be  stopped  about 
the  end  of  June,  and  this  will  produce  side  shoots  from 
which  another  pair  of  arms  may  be  taken,  and  thus  gain 

year  in  the  formation  of  the  tree,  or  covering  the  wall 
or  trellis. 

For  weak  growing  sorts,  the  fan  form  or  some  modi- 
fication of  it  would,  perhaps,  be  more  suitable  than  the 
horizontal,  as  it  offers  less  restraint  to  the  circulation  of 
the  sap  in  the  branches. 

The  Cherry  as  a Dwarf  or  Bush. — ^The  slow  growing 
sorts,  such  as  the  duhes  and  morellos.^  when  worked  on  the 
mahaleb  stock,  make  very  pretty  and  very  easily  man- 
aged prolific  bushes,  and  by  occasional  root  pruning  they 
may  be  confined  to  as  small  a space  as  a dwarf  apple 
tree.  To  produce  this  form,  the  young  tree  is  cut  back 
to  within  five  or  six  buds  of  its  base ; and  from  the  shoots 
produced  below  that,  four  or  five  evenly  distributed 
around  the  tree  are  selected  for  the  permanent  branches 
or  frame-work  of  the  tree.  The  others  are  rubbed  off. 

the  next  pruning  the  branches  thus  produced  are 
shortened  to  produce  secondary  branches  ; and  thus  it  is 
treated  from  year  to  year  until  the  tree  is  formed  and  full 
grown. 

The  branches  must  be  kept  far  enough  apart  to  admit 
the  sun  and  air  freely  amongst  them.  When  the  tree  is 
five  or  six  years  old,  if  it  grows  too  vigorously,  requiring 
more  space  than  can  be  given  it,  the  larger  roots  may  be 
shortened  in  July  or  August,  or  in  the  winter.  This  and 
the  pyramid,  and  the  dwarf  standard,  with  stems  two  feet 
high,  are  the  most  eligible  garden  forms  for  the  cherry.* 

* Mr.  Rivers  states  in  his  “ Miniature  Fruit  Garden^  that  he  has  a 
plant  of  the  late  duke  cherry  ten  years  old,  that  never  was  root-pruned,  and 
yet  is  a smali  prolific  tree,  five  feet  in  height,  and  the  branches  the  same  in 


THE  PEACE 


229 


The  dwarf  stcmdard  is  treated  precisely  as  the  dwarf, 
and  differs  from  it  only  in  having  two  feet  instead  of  six 
or  eight  inches  of  stem.  In  pruning  and  training  the 
cherry,  it  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  when 
large  branches  are  removed,  it  is  liable  to  suffer  from  the 
gum,  and,  therefore,  the  regulation  of  the  shoots  should 
be  carefully  attended  to  in  summer,  that  amputations  of 
woody  parts  may  be  avoided  as  far  as  possible.  When  it 
is  necessary,  however,  the  cut  surface  heals  more  rapidly 
and  surely  when  made  in  the  summer,  during  the  growing^ 
season. 

Section  4. — ^Pruning  and  Management  of  the  Peach. 

The  peach  is  universally  regarded  as  the  most  delicious 
{ruit  of  our  climate,  and  ranks  in  importance  for  orchard 
culture  next  to  the  apple  and  the  pear.  Nowhere  in  the 
world  is  it  produced  in  such  quantities,  and  with  so  little 
labor,  as  in  America.  An  English  or  French  gardener 
will  expend  more  labor  on  a single  tree,  than  the  majority 
of  our  orchardists  do  upon  one  hundred.  Our  favorable 
climate  obviates  a multitude  of  difficulties  that  have  to 
be  contended  with  in  other  countries,  and  renders  unneces- 
sary the  minute  and  laborious  systems  of  management 
which  they  find  it  absolutely  necessary  to  pursue. 

But  this  very  excellence  of  our  climate  has  given  rise 
to  a most  negligent  and  defective  system  of  cultivation, 
as  is  everywhere  illustrated  in  the  condition  of  orchards. 
The  peach,  of  all  other  trees,  is  one  that,  from  its  mode 
of  growth  and  bearing,  requires  constant  pruning  to 
maintain  it  in  a shapely,  thrifty,  and  productive  state. 
The  sap  tends  powerfully  to  the  extremities  of  the  shoots, 

diameter.  We  have  in  our  specimen  grounds  trees  of  several  dukes  and 
morellos,  six  years  old,  on  mahaleb  stocks,  not  over  four  or  five  feet  high, 
and  pictures  of  fruitfulness. 


230 


PRUNING. 


more  so  than  in  any  other  fruit  tree.  The  buds  that  do 
not  push  and  form  shoots  the  first  season  after  their  for- 
mation, are  lost ; they  cannot,  as  in  most  other  trees,  be 
excited  into  growth  ; and  hence  it  is  that  the  lower  parts 
become  so  rapidly  denuded  of  young  wood,  and  that 
trees  left  to  themselves  for  six  or  seven  years  are  in  a 
measure  worn  out  and  worthless. 

The  fruit  is  borne  only  on  wood  of  the  preceding  year 
(see  fruit  branches),  and  every  part  destitute  of  such 
wood  must  be  worthless ; consequently  one  of  the  great 
objects  of  pruning  is  to  keep  all  parts  of  the  tree  fur- 
nished with  a regular  and  constant  succession  of  annual 
bearing  shoots. 

This  fact  must  never  be  lost  sight  of. 

The  case  of  a single  shoot  will  illustrate  the  infiuence 
of  pruning  and  its  necessity.  By  referring  to  the  fruit  ^ 
branch,  it  will  be  seen  that  it  is  furnished  with  a certain 
number  of  w^ood  buds  and  fruit  buds.  At  the  base  there 
are  always  one  or  two  wood  buds  at  least. 

Now,  if  that  shoot  were  not  pruned,  all  the  fruit  buds 
on  it  'would  probably  produce  fruit — one,  two,  or  three 
of  the  wood  buds  at  the  top  would  make  new  shoots  ; 
these  would  necessarily  be  very  weak  in  consequence  of 
the  number  of  fruit  below  them.  At  the  end  of  the 
season  there  would  be  a long,  vacant  space,  entirely  des- 
titute of  a young  shoot  or  a living  bud.  This  is  the  way 
that  the  interior  and  lower  parts  of  trees  become  so  soon 
degarnished. 

But  when  that  shoot  is  shortened,  we  will  say  one  half, 
the  sap  is  retained  in  its  lower  parts,  one  half  of  the 
fruit  buds  are  removed,  and  the  consequence  is  that  large 
and  fine  fruits  are  obtained  from  those  remaining ; young 
vigorous  shoots  are  produced  from  the  lower  buds  to  bear 
next  year,  and  take  the  place  of  those  which  have 
already  borne.  In  this  way  regular  uniform  crops  of 


THE  PEACH. 


231 


large  and  fine  fruit  are  obtained,  and  a constant  succession 
of  young  shoots  is  kept  up. 

To  f orm  the  head  of  a standa/rd  Peach  Tree, — We 
will  suppose  it  the  intention  to  form  a standard  tree,  with 
a trunk  two  feet  in  height,  and  a round,  open,  and  sym- 
metrical head  like  fig.  112.  We  take  a yearling  tree  and 
cut  it  back  to  within  two  feet  and  a half  of  the  ground  in 
the  spring.  Below  this  cut  a certain  number  of  shoots 
will  be  produced,  from  which 
three  will  be  selected  to  form  the 
main  branches  or  frame-work  of 
the  head.  All  the  others  are  rub- 
bed off  when  two  or  three  inches 
long  or  sooner.  At  the  end  of  the 
season  we  have  a tree  with  three 
branches. 

The  second  year  these  three 
branches  are  cut  back  full  one 
half  their  length,  and  from  each 
w^e  take  a shoot  to  continue  the  branch,  and  one  to  form 
a secondary  branch.  The  other  shoots  produced  below 
these  are  pinched  or  checked  to  prevent  them  from  inter- 
fering with  the  growth  of  the  leading  branches.  In  the 
fall  of  the  year  we  have  a tree  with  six  leading  branches, 
and  some  bearing  shoots  below  on  the  older  wood. 

The  third  year  each  of  these  six  branches  is  short 
ened  one  half,  in  order  to  obtain  more  secondary  branches, 
and  some  fruit  branches  on  the  lower  parts.  All  young 
shoots  on  the  old  wood,  w^hether  fruit  branches  or  not, 
hculd  be  cut  back  one  half,  or  as  far  as  may  be  necessary, 
to  cause  the  wood  buds  at  their  base  to  push,  and  make 
shoots  to  bear  next  year. 

The  formation  of  the  head  goes  on  as  described  for  two 
or  three  years  more,  when  it  is  complete ; for  peach  trees, 


Fig  J12. 

Form  of  a low  standard  peacn 
tree,  with  a stem  two  feet  high 
and  a round,  open  head. 


232 


PRUNING. 


properly  pruned,  do  not  assume  such  wide-spieading 
forms  as  they  do  naturally. 

The  main  branches  and  secondary  branches  should  be 
at  equal  distances  throughout,  and  far  enough  apart  to 
give  the  bearing  wood  on  their  sides  the  full  benefit  of 
the  sun  and  air.  i 

An  equality  of  vigor  should  also  be  preserved  amongst 
them  by  summer  pinching.  It  is  not  uncommon  to  see  a 
very  vigorous  shoot  start  up  in  a peach  tree,  and  appro- 
priate so  much  of  the  sap  as  to  injure  a whole  branch ; 
these  should  be  checked  the  moment  their  character  is 
observed,  unless  they  may  be  wanted  to  fill  a vacancy. 
Every  part  of  the  branches  should  be  furnished  with 
bearing  shoots,  and  these  should,  every  spring,  be  short- 
ened in  one  half  or  more,  to  produce  others  at  their  base, 
whilst  those  that  have  borne  are  cut  out. 

Some  people  imagine  that  when  they  have  taken  a pair 
of  hedge  shears,  or  some  such  instrument,  and  shorn  off 
the  ends  of  the  shoots  on  the  outside  of  the  tree  indis- 
criminately, they  are  shortening  in,”  and  so  they  are, 
as  they  would  a hedge ! Some  of  the  shoots  are  cut 
away  entirely,  fruit  buds  and  all,  whilst  others  remain 
untouched,  and  the  tree  becomes  like  a brush  on  the  out- 
side and  naked  within.  This  is  almost  as  bad  as  the  let- 
alone  system.  Every  shoot  should  be  cut  separately. 
The  most  expeditious  instrument  for  doing  this,  is  a pair 
of  light  hand-pruning  shears,  such  as  the  French  secateur 
(see  instruments)..  A person  accustomed  to  its  use  can 
prune  every  shoot  on  a full-grown  tree  in  an  almost  in- 
credibly short  space  of  time,  as  compared  with  that  re- 
quired with  the  knife.  Extensive  orchardists  may  be 
deterred  from  such  a labor,  looking  to  the  cost ; but  if 
they  will  engage  quick,  active,  intelligent  persons  to  do 
the  work,  and  estimate  the  increased  value  of  the  fruih 


THE  PEACH. 


233 


and  longevity  and  beauty  of  their  trees,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  but  it  will  be  found  ^pa/ying  investment. 

Hoot  Pruning, — In  gardens  where  the  soil  is  rich,  and 
trees  very  full  of  vigor,  disposed  to  grow  too  much  and 
bear  too  little,  root  pruning  should  be  practised  once  in 
two  or  three  years — the  first  lightly,  removing  only  the 
ends  of  the  large  feeding  roots.  The  safest  time  to  do  it 
is  between  the  fall  of  the  leaf  and  the  opening  of  spring. 
Vegetation  in  the  peach  seldom  becomes  sufficiently 
inactive  during  the  growing  season,  to  enable  the  roots  to 
be  pruned  with  safety. 

The  Peach  in  the  form  of  a vase. — Among  ah  the 
forms  in  which  trees  are  conducted,  this  is,  when  well 
done,  one  of  the  most  graceful. 

It  consists  of  a short  stem  two  to  five  feet,  according  to 
fancy,  with  a head  composed  of  three  or  four  main 
branches,  and  two  or  three  times  that  number  of  second- 
ary branches,  all  trained  by  means  of  light  stakes  at  first, 
and  afterwards  wire  or  wooden  hoops  in  the  form  of  a 
vase  or  goblet.  The  branches  are  arranged  in  a circle, 
with  bearing  shoots  filling  up  the  spaces.  No  shoots  are 
permitted  either  in  the  interior  or  in  front  that  is  project- 
ing from  the  exterior  surface  of  the  goblet. 

The  most  beautiful  trees  of  this  form  are  to  be  seen  in 
the  gardens  of  the  Luxembourg,  at  Paris,  and  elsewhere 
in  France. 

Mr.  Louis  G^dry,  who  has  a very  pretty  little  plan- 
tation in  Paris,  and  who  has  published  a small  work  on 
pruning  and  training  trees,  gives  the  annexed  cut  as  a 
representation  of  one  of  his  vase  peach  trees  of  eight 
years’  growth  (fig.  113).  The  following  is  the  substance 
of  his  mode  of  conducting  them. 

Pirst  Pruning. — ^The  stem  of  the  yearling  tree  is  cut 
back  to  the  point  at  which  it  is  desired  to  commence  the 
bead  to  three  buds,  forming  a triangle  and  as  nearly  as 


234 


PKUNING. 


possible  of  the  same  height.  Three  shoots  are  obtained 
from  these  three  buds  to  form  the  first  or  main  branches 


Peach  tree  in  the  form  of  a vase,  with  four  main  branches,  each  having  severa' 
tecondary  branches.  The  stem  in  the  figure  is  five  feet,  but  should  not  exceed  two. 


THE  PEACH. 


235 


or  frame-work  of  the  vase.  To  favor  the  growth  of  these, 
all  the  shoots  produced  below  them  are  rubbed  off. 

In  order  to  give  them  the  proper  inclination,  three 
small  stakes  are  inserted  in  the  ground,  to  which  the 
three  branches  are  fastened;  it  is  supposed  that  if  these 
stakes  be  sunk  as  far  from  the  base  of  the  tree  as  the  roots 
extend,  and  in  an  upright  position,  there  will  be  a 
sufficient  opening  or  space  in  the  centre.  The  branches 
should  be  thus  brought  out  about  August,  so  that  the  for- 
mation of  new  layers  of  wood  subsequent  to  that  time 
may  fix  them  in  their  places.  The  side  shoots,  which  are 
produced  on  the  young  branches,  towards  the  latter  part 
of  the  season,  designated  by  the  French  bourgeons  anticijpes^ 
are  pinched  to  one  or  two  leaves. 

2d.  Pruning. — The  spring  following,  the  branches  are 
loosed  from  the  stakes,  and  shortened  to  six  or  eight 
inches  of  their  base,  to  a leaf  bud  on  the  outside  or  front 
of  the  branch,  and  with  a bud  below  it,  either  on  the  right 
or  left  side.  The  front  bud  continues  the  main  branch, 
and  the  side  bud  forms  a secondary  branch.  The  three 
branches  are  pruned  in  this  way,  taking  care  that  the 
secondary  branch  on  each  is  on  the  same  side,  so  that  two 
of  them  cannot  come  in  contact.  To  favor  the  growth  of 
these  new  shoots,  all  those  situated  below  them  that  acquire 
too  much  vigor,  must  be  pinched  at  three  or  four  leaves. 

A wooden  hoop  may  now  be  placed  in  the  centre,  to 
which  the  branches  are  attached  to  keep  them  in  their 
places.  In  this  way  the  tree  progresses ; every  year  one  or 
more  secondary  branches  are  produced,  the  main  branches 
increase  in  length,  and  fruit  shoots  are  produced  on  all 
the  intervals  of  the  branches,  on  their  two  sides. 

All  shoots  that  push  either  inside  or  in  front  of  the  vase 
AY6  pinched  ofiP,  and  pinching  is  practised  at  all  times  to 
maintain  equal  growth  between  the  different  parts,  and  to 
check  any  too  great  tendency  of  the  sap  to  the  extremities. 


236 


PRUNING. 


TJivrd  jpTunmg, — ^The  fruit  branches  are  }.irune(i  to  three 
or  four  buds,  to  induce  the  lower  wood  buds  to  push  and 
form  new  wood  for  the  next  season. 

The  main  branches  are  cut  back  to  ten  or  twelve  inches 
above  the  previous  pruning,  to  a bud  on  the  front  to  con- 
tinue the  branch ; the  buds  selected  to  produce  another 
series  of  secondary  branches,  must  all  be  on  the  oppo- 
site the  previous  Ones.  If  the  position  of  the  buds  renders 
this  impossible,  then  they  may  all  be  chosen  on  the  same 
side  as  the  first.  * 

The  hoops  this  year  will  require  to  be  larger  in  dia 
meter  than  the  preceding,  in  order  to  give  increased  width 
to  the  vase  as  it  proceeds  upwards.  All  the  other  opera- 
tions are  conducted  in  the  same  manner.  The  hoops  in- 
side are  placed  within  six  to  eight  inches  of  one  another, 
and  the  circular  branches  within  twelve  to  fifteen  inches. 
As  the  tree  advances  in  age,  the  growth  may  become  too 
vigorous  at  the  top ; and  in  this  case,  the  main  branches, 
always  the  most  vigorous,  must  be  pruned  short,  and  even 
pinched  during  summer,  to  turn  the  sap  to  the  benefit  of 
the  weaker  parts. 

These  are  the  main  points  in  the  management  of  these 
vases.  It  may  be  added,  that  the  apple,  pear,  cherry, 
and  indeed  all  other  trees  may  be  grown  in  this  form,  and 
by  the  same  means,  varying  it  only  to  suit  different  modes 
of  growth  and  bearing,  and  degrees  of  vigor. 

The  Peach  as  an  Espalier, — Espalier  training  will  never 
be  practised  in  this  country  to  any  very  great  extent,  and 
therefore  it  may  be  considered,  in  comparison  with  open 
ground  systems,  unimportant.  Yet  there  are  some  dis- 
tricts not  so  favorably  situated  as  to  be  able  to  produce 
peaches,  apricots,  and  nectarines,  in  the  open  ground. 
For  these  a proper  system  of  espalier  training  is  impor- 
tant, because  in  this  form  trees  are  easily  protected  from 


THE  PEACH. 


237 


winter  or  spring  frosts,  and  they  ripen  their  fruits  per- 
fectly, where  open  ground  or  standard  trees  would  not. 

The  Peach  as  an  Espalier  trained  on  a wall  or  trellis, — 
There  are  a multitude  of  forms  for  espalier  trees  where 
training  on  walls  or  trellises  is  necessarily  and  extensively 
practised,  as  in  England  and  France.  The  great  requi- 
sites in  a wall  tree  are,^r,5^,  to  have  all  the  wall  covered; 
and,  second,^  to  have  the  different  parts  of  the  tree  alike 
favorably  placed,  with  reference  to  its  growth.  Next  to 
these  are  simplicity  and  naturalness. 

The  most  popular  form  in  England  is  that  called  the 


Fig.  114. 

Fan-shaped  Espalier. 


(fig.  114).  In  it  the  branches  are  spread  out  so  as  to 
resenable  fan;  the  lower  ones  are  nearly  or  quite  hori- 
zontal; the  next  more  oblique ; and  so  they  proceed 
until  the  centre  ones  are  quite  upright,  and  this  appears 
to  be  the  defect  of  this  form ; for  the  horizontal  branches 
cannot  maintain  such  a vigor  as  those  more  erect  above 
them.  The  square  espalier,  invented  by  M.  Felix  Malo, 
of  France,  and  now  extensively  practised  by  some  of  the 
best  peach  growers  of  the  celebrated  town  of  Montreuil, 
seems  to  possess  more  advantages,  all  in  all,  than  any 
other.  The  Bon  Jardinier^'^  from  which  the  following 
description  of  the  method  of  conducting  these  trees  is 


238 


PEUNING. 


taken,  says : “ This  generally  approved  form  begins  to 
find  imitators,  and  it  is  probable  that  one  day  it  will  be 
ado2)ted  by  all  intelligent  gardeners.” 

First  year. — We  will  begin  with  a peach  tree  one  year 
from  the  bud,  and  cut  it  down  to  within  six  or  eight 
inches,  or  three  or  four  buds  of  the  stock.  From  the  buds 
produced  below  the  cut,  two  of  the  strongest  are  chosen, 
one  on  each  side,  to  form  the  two  main  branches — hranches 
mere ! all  the  other  shoots  are  destroyed,  and  these  two 
are  allowed  to  grow  upright,  and  in  the  fall  they  will  be 
three  to  four  feet  high.  • 

Second  year  (fig.  116). — In  the  spring,  when  hard  frosts 
are  no  longer  apprehend- 
ed, the  branches  are  ex- 
amined to  see  if  they  be 
sound  and  healthy,  free 
from  bruises,  insects,  etc., 
and  they  are  cut  back  to 
twelve  or  fifteen  inches  of  their  base,  according  to  their 
strength ; a weak  branch  ought  always  to  be  cut  back  m 
such  a case  as  this  further  than  a strono-  one. 


The  bud  cut  to,  should,  if  possible,  be  on  the  inside^ 
and  the  next  bud  below  it  on  the  outside*  the  first  to 
continue  the  main  branch,  and  the  other  to  form  the  first 
exterior  secondary  branch.  All  shoots  starting  on  the 
front  or  rear  of  the  main  branch  should  be  rubbed  off, 
and  those  on  the  sides  laid  in  early  to  prevent  their 
acquiring  too  much  vigor.  The  main  branches  are  left 
till  July,  when  they  are  brought  down  to  the  form  of  a Y, 
and  attached  to  the  wall  or  trellis  in  this  position.  The 
exterior  secondary  branch  is  placed  more  oblique,  and  the 
fi"uit  branches  are  kept  in  a uniform  and  moderate  growth 
by  pinching  and  laying  in.  The  most  vigorous  should 
al  ways  be  laid  in  first  to  check  them,  and  favor  the  others. 

Third  year  (fig.  116). — After  loosening  the  tree  from 


THE  PEACH. 


239 


felio  ellls,  tlie  two  main  branches  are  cut  back  to 
sixteen  or  eigliteen  indies  of  the  previous  pruning,  and 
the  two  lower  or  secondary  branches  to  twelve  or  sixteen 
inches. 

The  fruit  branches  are  shortened  to  within  two  or  three 
buds  of  their  base,  and  all  are  again  fastened  back  in  their 
places.  When  the  young  shoots  have  reached  the  length 
of  three,  four,  or  five  inches,  such  as  are  badly  placed 
on  the  front  or  rear  of  the  branches,  or  in  any  place  inju- 
rious to  the  symmetry  of  the  tree,  are  removed.  During 
the  summer  the  difierent  branches  must  be  laid  in  from 
time  to  time,  the  most  vigorous  first.  This  year  two  more 
secondary  branches  must  be  obtained  on  each  side,  in  the 
same  manner  as  in  the  previous  year.  Their  growth  is 
also  promoted  by  the  same  means. 

The  fruit  branches  on  the  sides  of  the  main  branche«s 
may  give  a few  fruit  this  ye’ar,  and  those  on  the  second- 
ary branches  may  bear  next  year. 

The  fruit  branches  that  have  borne  are  to  be  cut  away 
each  year  and  replaced  by  others,  therefore  we  must  com- 
mence to  provide  for  these  branches  of  replacement 
They  are  produced  as  follows  : 

First,  it  may  be  observed  that  fruit  branches  have  gen- 
erally one  or  more  wood  buds  at  their  base.  Sometimes 
these  will  push  and  form  branches  of  replacement  with- 
out any  assistance,  more  than  cutting  back.  In  such  a 
case  there  is  no  difficulty.  When  the  fruit  is  ripe,  or  at 
the  next  pruning,  the  fruit  branch  that  has  borne  is  cut 
away,  and  the  new  one  takes  its  place.  But  nature  does 
not  always  act  thus.  It  is  generally  necessary  to  forc4 
the  development  of  these  branches  of  replacement,  withou 
which  the  branches  in  all  their  lower  parts  would  become 
entirely  denuded. 

Hence,  then,  when  a branch  of  replacement  fails  to 
appear  by  the  ordinary  method  of  shortening,  we  have 


240 


PRUNING. 


two  modes  of  forcing  it : one  is  to  make,  after  the  fruit  is 
set,  an  incision  through  the  bark  two  inches  above  one  ol 
the  wood  buds,  and  pinch  close  all  the  shoots  on  the  fruit 
branch,  leaving  only  rosettes  of  leaves  necessary  to  the 
perfection  of  the  fruit ; pinching  must  be  repeated  all 
thetime  that  the  shoots  on  the  fruit  branch  continue  to 
grow.  { 

Fourth  Year  (fig.  117). — After  having  examined  if  the 
tree  is  equally  vigorous  in  all  its  parts,  and  having  de- 
cided upon  the  means  of  restoring  the  balance  if  it  has 
'been  lost,  the  tree  is  detached  from  the  wall  or  trellis,  and 
pruned,  commencing  with  the  fruit  branches  that  have 
borne.  These,  it  must  be  remembered,  are  to  be  cut  back 
each  year  to  the  new  branch  of  replacement  produced  at 
its  base.  The  young  shoot  then  becomes  the  fruit  branch, 
and  is  pruned  within  four  to  fourteen  inches,  according  to 
their  vigor  and  the  situation  of  the  fruit  buds. 

The  two  main  branches  are  cut  back  to  within  about 
twenty  inches  of  the  previous  pruning ; the  first  shoot  on 


to  produce  the  third  exterior  secondary  branch.  The  two 
secondary  branches  already  formed  are  cut  back  to  about 
twelve  to  fifteen  inches  of  the  previous  pruning,  in  order 
to  make  all  the  lateral  buds  on  them  push.  The  terminal 
bud  produces  a leader  to  continue  them ; all  the  others  are 
fruit  branches. 

In  attaching  the  tree  again  to  the  wall,  the  angle  that 
exists  between  the  two  main  branches  is  gradually 
widened,  the  branches  a little  more  spread  at  every  pruning 


Fourth  year 

4: 


Fig.  117 


Fig.  118. 
Fifth  year. 


the  inside  is 
chosen  to  conti- 
nue the  branchy 
and  the  next 
one  below  it? 
on  the  lower 
and  outer  side. 


THE  icEACII. 


241 


Fifth  year  (fig.  118). — The  tree  is  now  composed  of 
two  main  branches,  both  of  which  have  three  secondary 
branches  on  their  exterior  lower  sides,  and  fruit  branches 
on  all  their  length  on  the  interior  and  upper  side ; and  all 
tliat  is  wanted  to  complete  it,  is  to  transform  three  of  the 
l)earing  shoots  on  the  upper  sides  into  three  secondary 
branches,  corresponding  and  alternating  with  the  three 
lower  ones.  To  do  this,  we  select  the  fruit  branch  on 
each,  nearest  the  fork  or  base  of  the  main  branches.  The 
growth  of  this  is  favored  by  training  it  in  an  upright  posi- 
tion, and  by  pinching  any  vigorous  shoots  near  it.  The 
tree  is  managed  thus,  as  in  preceding  years,  in  regard  to 
laying  in  the  shoots  according  to  their  vigor,  and  pinching 
to  maintain  regularity,  &c.  • 

The  sixth  year  (fig.  119). — ^The  pruning  is  conducted 
on  the  same  principles  precisely,  and  another  interior 
secondary  branch  is  produced  in  the  same  way  as  last 
year. 

The  seventh  year  (fig.  120). — Another  is  produced  on 


Fio.  119. 
Sixth  year. 


Seventh  year. 


Fig.  120. 


each,  and  then  the  tree 
with  its  two  main 


branches,  and  twelve 


secondary  branches,  all 
trained  in  the  form  of 
a parallelogram  is  com- 
plete (fig.  121). 


Fig.  121. 
Eighth  yea?. 


24:ti 


PRUNING, 


Fig.  122  represents  the  tree  complete,  bearing  shoots 
and  all. 

The  main 
branches  shonld 
be  permanently 
^ fixed  at  an  an- 
g gle  of  45^.  The 
® lowest  exte- 
-2  rior  secondary 
p branches  at  15^. 
J Some  cultiva- 
I tors  recommend 

o 

0 that  the  inte- 
Z rior  secondary 

1 branches  con 
I verge  to  the  cen- 
5 tre  at  an  angle 

^ I of  45^.  This 

1 gives  them  an 
- I oblique  direc- 

tion,  and  places 

2 them  upon  a 
I more  eqnal  foot- 
le ing  with  the 

1 other  parts. 

§ In  training 

Isnch  trees,  an 
0) 

2 imaginary  cir- 
cnlar  line  is 
produced  on  the 
wall  or  trellis, 
and  this  is  di- 
vided off  into 

parts,  corresponding  to  the  degrees  of  a circle,  commenc- 
ing at  the  centre  above,  and  numbering  both  ways  to  the 


THE  PEACH. 


243 


base : this  enables  the  persons  who  conduct  tlie  tree,  lO  lay 
in  the  branches  on  both  sides  at  an  equal  angle  with  pre- 
cision, which  is  quite  requisite  to  maintain  uniformity  of 
growth  and  vigor. 

It  has  been  considered  necessary  to  treat  this  subject 
somewhat  minutely,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  to  persons 
wholly  unacquainted  with  training,  some  knowledge  of  the 
principles  on  which  it  depends,  and  the  mode  of  its 
execution. 

The  form  described  above  is  one  of  the  simplest  of  all 
espaliers,  except  the  horizontal,  described  in  treating  of 
the  apple  and  the  pear;  but  whoever  can  train  a tree  in 
this  manner  well,  can  do  it  in  all  others,  for  the  principles 
of  growth  are  th^same  alwnys;  and  he  who  understands 
these,  can  mould  his  trees  at  pleasure,  provided  he  can 
bestow  the  necessaiy  labor.  The  peach  may  be  grown  in 
any  or  all  the  espalier  forms.  ~ 

Laying  in^  and  fastening  the  trees  to  walls  and  ti^elr 
Uses. — ^^Yhen  trees  are  trained  to  a wall  or  fence,  the 
branches  are  fastened  in  the  desired  position  by  means  of 
shreds  of  cloth  or  list,  half  an  inch  wide,  and  from  two  to 
three  inches  long,  according  to  the  size  of  the  branch  to 
be  laid  in.  Yery  small  nails  are  necessary  to  train  on 
boards,  but  larger  ones  on  a brick  and  stone  wall.  On  a 
trellis,  strings  of  bass  matting  are  used  instead  of  nails  and 
cloth ; and  in  fastening  to  simple  rails,  small  willows  may 
be  used.  The  principle  to  be  observed,  in  laying  in  and 
fastening  the  branches  and  shoots  of  espalier  trees,  is  that 
strong  shoots  must  he  laid  in  sooner  than  weak  ones.^  and 
also  more  inclined  from  the  vertical  direction.  A great 
deal  may  be  done  towards  maintaining  uniformity  ol 
growth  in  the  different  parts  of  a trained  tree,  by  laying  in 
the  branches  in  a judicious  and  discriminating  manner. 


PEUNING. 


O/M 


Section  5. — ^Pruning  and  Management  of  the 

The  pium  bears  its  fruit  on  spurs  produced  on  wood 
two  years  old  and  upwards,  like  the  cherry  (see  fruit 
branches).  On  young  trees  these  spurs  are  several  years 
in  the  process  of  formation ; but  when  they  commence  to 
bear  they  endure,  if  well  managed,  for  many  years. 
They  are  generally  furnished  with  wood  buds  on  their 
lower  parts ; and  when  they  begin  to  grow  feeble,  they 
ought  to  be  renewed  by  cutting  back.  The  plum  is  almost 
universally  grown  as  a standard,  and  the  head  maybe 
conducted  in  the  same  manner  as  described  for  the  cherry 
The  branches  should  be  mainly  regulated  by  summer 
pinching,  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  knife  pruning,  that 
frequently  gives  rise  to  the  gum.  Some  varieties  of  very 
rapid  growth  produce  shoots  three  or  four  feet  long  in  one 
season ; and  if  not  shortened  back  at  the  spring  pmning, 
the  tree  presents  long  naked  branches  in  a short  time. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  the  way  of  conducting  it  as  a 
pyramid,  is  its  great  vigor ; but  this  can  in  a great  mea- 
sure  be  overcome  by  the  use  of  dwarfing  stocks^  \>j  jpinGh- 
ing  and  by  root  pruning. 

’ The  latter  will  be  found  a most  efficient  mode  of  keeping 
the  trees  small  and  fruitful.  We  have  had  no  experience 
with  the  plum  as  a pyramid  ; but  Mr.  Rivers  says,  that  by 
root  pruning  annually  in  October  and  November,  he  has 
succeeded  in  making  handsome  pyramidal  trees.  Stand- 
ards and  dwarf  standards  may  also  be  root  pruned  to 
advantage  in  small  gardens,  and  where  it  is  desirable  to 
get  them  into  early  bearing. 

The  plum  may  be  trained  in  any  of  the  espalier  forms 
already  described,  and  in  the  same  manner. 


THE  AI*RICOT, 


245 


Seu/ion  6. — Pruning  and  Management  of  the  A^pricot. 

The  apricot,  like  the  peach,  has  fruit  and  wood  buds 
mixed  on  the  shoots  of  one  year’s  growth.  It  has  also 
little  fruit  branches  or  spurs  like  the  plum,  which  are 
capable  of  being  renewed  by  shortening. 

The  mode  of  pruning  must  therefore  have  in  view  the 
production  of  young  wood,  and  maintaining  the  spurs  in 
a vigorous  and  fruitful  state.  When  neglected,  it  be- 
comes, like  the  peach,  denuded  of  young  bearing  wood  in 
the  interior,  and  enfeebled  by  over-fruitfulness.  The 
shoots  should  therefore  be  shortened  every  season  accord- 
ing to  their  length,  as  recommended  for  the  peach,  to 
reduce  the  number  of  blossom  buds,  and  favor  the  pro- 
duction of  new  bearing  wood. 

It  is  very  liable  to  the  gum,  and  severe  pruning  with 
the  knife  should  be  obviated  as  far  as  possible  by  pinch- 
ing. It  may  be  conducted  as  a standard,  pyramid,  dwarf, 
or-  espalier,  on  the  same  principle  as  other  trees.  When 
trees  become  enfeebled  by  neglect  or  age,  they  can  be 
renewed  by  heading  down  close  to  the  stem.  New  and 
vigorous  shoots  are  immediately  produced  that  form  a new 
tree.  This  heading  down  should  be  done  very  early  in 
the  spring,  and  the  wounds  be  carefully  covered  with 
grafting  wax. 

It  is  one  of  the  first  of  our  fruit  trees  to  blossom  in  the 
spring,  and  therefore  in  some  localities  the  flowers  are 
killed  by  the  frost.  Where  this  is  apprehended,  it  may 
be  well  to  plant  on  the  north  side  of  a wall,  or  something 
that  will  rather  retard  the  period  of  blooming,  and  subject 
it  less  to  freezing  and  thawing.  We  have  apricots  trained 
here  on  a south  aspect,  yet  in  seven  years  the  blossoms 
have  not  been  killed,  though  in  one  or  two  ilistances  they 


246 


PRtTNING. 


have  been  slightly  injured.  The  espalier  trees  offer  great 
facility  for  protection ; and  therefore,  vhere  spring  frosts 
prevail,  the  apricot  should  be  so  trained.  Mats  or  straw 
hurdles  can  be  placed  against  them,  both  in  sj)ring  and 
winter  if  necessary,  vdth  the  same  ease  that  a common 
frame  is  cover^>^ 

Section  T. — Pruning  the  Nectarine. 

The  nectarine  is  but  a smooth  skinned  peach.  The 
trees  are  so  similar  in  their  mode  of  growth,  buds,  etc., 
that  they  cannot  be  distinguished  from  one  another,  and, 
therefore,  whatever  has  been  said  respecting  the  pruning 
and  treatment  of  one,  applies  with  equal  force  to  the 
other.  This  fruit  is  so  infested  with  the  curcuHo,  that  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  obtain  a crop  that  will  pay  for 
culture  in  any  part  of  the  country  in  the  open  ground.  Un- 
less some  more  effective  remedy  be  discovered  than  any 
yet  known,  it  will  soon  have  to  retire  from  the  garden, 
and  take  up  its  residence  with  the  foreign  grape  in  glass 
houses. 

It  produces  excellent  crojos  trained  in  espaliers,  on  a 
back  wall,  or  a centre  trellis  of  one  of  those  cold  graperies 
now  becoming  so  popular. 

Section  8. — Culture,  Pruning,  and  Training  Hard'y 
Grape  Yines. 

The  management  of  our  native  grapes  is  exceedingly 
simple.  Immense  crops  of  Catawba  and  Isabella,  and 
especially  the  latter,  are  raised  throughout  the  country 
in  the  entire  absence  of  any  systematic  mode  of  training 
or  pruning.  A single  vine  in  a neighbor’s  garden,  carried 
to  the  flat  roof  of  an  outbuilding,  and  allowed  to  ram< 
ble  there  at  pleasure,  without  any  care  but  a very  imper 


THE  GRAPE  VINE. 


247 


feet  pruning  every  spring,  produces  annually  many 
bushels  of  fruit.  But  the  quality  is,  of  course,  greatly 
inferior  to  that  produced  on  well-pruned,  trained,  and 
dressed  vines.  A grape  vine  neatly  trained  on  a trellis, 
with  its  luxuriant  ample  foliage,  and  rich  pendulous 
clusters  of  fruit,  is  really  one  of  the  most  interesting 
objects  in  a fruit  garden,  and,  at  the  same  time,  one  of 
the  most  profitable ; for  the  shade  and  ornament  alone 
that  it  produces,  are  a sufficient  recompense  for  its  culture. 

In  planting  a grape  vine  the  first  point  is  to  prepare  a 
border  for  the  roots. 

This  must,  in  the  first  place,  be  perfectly  dry.  If  the 
soil  or  situation  be  wet  or  dani^,  it  must  be  drained 
thoroughly,  so  that  no  stagnant  moisture  can  exist  in  it. 
In  the  next  place  it  must  be  deep — three  feet  is  a good 
depth  ; and  it  must  not  be  less  than  two  where  abundant 
and  fine  crops  are  expected.  The  mode  of  preparation 
is,  to  dig  out  the  natural  soil  to  the  required  depth,  and 
the  lengtn  and  wddth  necessary.  For  a single  vine,  the 
border  should  be  eight  or  ten  feet  long  and  four  wide. 

When  the  excavation  is  made,  if  the  soil  be  stiff  or 
damp,  a few  inches,  or  a foot  deep,  of  small  stones,  brick, 
rubbish,  etc.,  may  be  laid  on  the  bottom  as  a sort  of 
drainage.  On  the  top  of  this  deposit  the  compost  for  the 
border.  This  may  consist  of  two  parts  of  good,  fresh, 
friable  loam,  one  of  old,  w^ell-rotted  manure,  and  one  of 
ashes,  shells,  broken  bones,  etc.,  all  completely  mixed 
with  one  another.  The  top  of  the  border,  when  finished, 
should  be  at  least  a foot  higher  than  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  so  that  it  may  still  remain  higher  after  settling. 
Having  the  border  thus  prepared,  the  next  point  is  the 
trellis.  The  form  of  this  will  depend  on  the  situation  it 
is  to  occupy,  and  the  mode  of  training  to  be  adopted. 
Fig.  123  represents  one  intended  for  a wall  The  pnn 


24S 


PRUNING. 


cipal  bars  or  Irame-work  are  inch  and  a half  boards,  three 
inches  wide,  nailed  together  at  the  angles. 


Fig.  123. 

Trellis  for  a grape  vine. 

It  is  intended  for  one  vine,  and  may  be  tlie  height  of 
the  wall  that  it  is  intended  to  occupy.  The  vertical  or 
upright  bars  are  three  feet  apart  and  the  cross  ones  six 
feet ; between  them  are  rods  of  stout  wire.  The  first  or 
lowest  cross  bar  may  be  two  feet  from  the  ground.  It  is 
fastened  to  the  wall  by  iron  hooks  or  brackets.  The  best 
and  simplest  mode  of  training  a vine  on  such  a trellis  as 
this,  is  to  produce  two  main  branches  or  arms  to  be 
trained  in  a horizontal  manner  on  the  first  cross  bar. 
From  these  two  arms,  permanent,  upright  canes  are 
trained,  one  to  each  of  the  upright  bars  of  the  trellis. 
These  upright  canes  produce  on  their  sides  a succession 
of  bearing  shoots  from  year  to  year,  being  pruned  after 
what  is  called  the  “ spur”  system. 

Planting  the  Yine. — As  in  planting  any  other  tree,  the 
roots  should  be  carefully  spread  out,  and  the  fine  earth 


THE  GRAPE  VINE. 


249 


worked  well  in  amongst  them.  Its  position  should  be 
exactly  in  the  centre  of  the  trellis  it  is  to  be  trained  on. 

Pruning, — It  must  first  be  observed  that  the  grape 
vine  bears  its  fruit  on  shoots  of  the  current  year,  pro- 
duced from  eyes  on  the  previous  year’s  wood.  Fig.  124 
represent  the  old  wood,  with  its  bearing  shoot.  It  is  im- 


Fruit  branch  of  the  grape.  The  cross  line  towards  the  points  shows  where 
it  ought  to  be  stopped. 


portant  to  understand  this,  because  it  shows  the  necessity 
of  keeping  up  a supply  of  young  wood  wherever  we 
desire  fruit  to  be  produced. 

To  illustrate  the  pruning,  we  will  suppose  the  plant  to 
be  one  or  two  years  old,  as  ordinarily  sent  out  from  the 
nursery.  It  may  have  only  one  shoot,  or  it  may  have 
several.  However  this  may  be,  all  are  pruned  off  but 
the  strongest,  and  it  is  cut  back  to  within  two  eyes  of  its 
base.  These  two  eyes  will  produce  shoots,  and  when 
they  have  made  a growth  of  two  or  three  inches,  the 
weaker  one  is  rubbed  off  and  the  strong  one  trained  up. 
It  is  allowed  to  grow  on  till  September,  when  the  bud  is 
pinched  to  mature  and  strengthen  it.  Any  side  shoots 
that  appear  during  the  summer,  should  be  pinched  off,  as 
well  as  any  suckers  that  may  appear  about  the  roots. 

Second  Year. — If  the  shoot  of  last  year  made  a strong 
growth  of  ten  or  twelve  feet,  it  may  be  now  cut  back  to 
three  eyes,  and  two  canes  be  trained  up ; but  if  it  made 
only  a weak  growth,  it  should  again  be  cut  back  to  two 
11* 


250 


PKUNING. 


eye&,  and  one  slioot  only  trained  up.  Side  shoots  and 
suckers  are  pinched  off  during  the  summer ; and  in  Sep- 
tember these  canes  are  stopped  as  before,  and  no  fruit  is 
allowed. 

Third  Year, — We  have  now  two  strong  canes  with 
which  we  commence  the  frame-work  of  the  vim  £ach 
of  these  is  cut  back  at  the  winter  pruning  to  ^dthin  two 
or  three  feet  of  its  base,  and  laid  in,  as  in  fig.  125,  and 
fastened  to  the  lower  horizontal  bar  of  the  trellis.  The 


Fig.  125. 


Grape  vine  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  year.  The  arms  shortened  ate, 
o,  6,  etc.,  are  buds. 

bud  on  the.  end  of  each  at  (?,  will  produce  a shoot  to  con- 
tinue the  prolongment  in  a horizontal  direction,  and  a 
bud  [a)  on  the  upper  side  of  each  will  produce  a shoot  to 
be  trained  to  one  of  the  upright  bars — the  first  one  on  Its 
division,  or  half  of  its  trellis  ; all  others  are  rubbed  off,  oi 
the  buds  cut  out.  Thus  each  of  these  arms  produces  two 
shoots — an  upright  and  a horizontal  one.  During  the 
summer,  these  shoots  are  carefully  tied  in  as  required, 
and  side  shoots  and  suckers  pinched  off  when  they  ap- 
pear. They  are  also  topped  in  September,  as  before. 

Fourth  year, — Each  of  last  year’s  shoots  is  cut  back 
to  within  three  feet  of  its  base.  It  may  be  necessary 
to  cut  the  horizontal  ones  closer  than  the  upright  ones,  to 
obtain  another  strong  upright  shoot.  The  two  upright 
canes  already  established,  will  produce  a shoot  from  their 
tops,  to  continue  their  extension  upwards,  and  the  hori- 
zontal ones,  as  before,  produce  a shoot  at  the  point  to  be 
carried  outw'ards,  and  one  on  the  top  to  be  trained  up  to 
one  of  the  upright  bars.  This  year,  several  fruit  shoots 


THE  GRATE  'VINE. 


251 


will  be  produced,  on  each  of  which,  one  or  two  bunches 
of  grapes  may  be  ri2)ened.  In  this  way  the  vine  goes  on 
adding  every  season  two  new  upright  canes,  and  two  or 
three  feet  in  length  to  the  previous  ones,  until  the  whole 
trellis  is  covered ; when  the  management  will  consist  in 
pruning  the  spurs  every  winter  to  about  thiee  eyes.  Each 
fruit  branch  should  only  be  allowed  to  produce  two 
bunches  of  fruit,  and  the  top  should  be  pinched  at  the 
second  eye,  or  joint  above  the  fruit  (see  cross  line,  fig. 
124),  in  order  to  arrest  the  production  of  useless  wood, 
and  turn  the  sap  to  the  benefit  of  the  fruit.  Fig.  126 
represents  the  appearance  of  a vine  trained  in  this  way. 

By  such  a system 
as  this  the  trellis  is 
covered  in  every 
part  with  bearing 
wood,  the  fruit  and 
the  foliage  are  all 
exposed  fully  to  the 
sun,  an  uniformity  of 
vigor  is  maintained 


Trained,  with  horizontal  arms,  A.  B,  supporting 
vertical  permanent  canes,  spur  pruned. 


between  the  differ-  fig.  126. 

ent  parts,  and  the 
appearance  is  beau- 
tiful. A trellis  may  be  covered  with  a vine  by  other 
modes  requiring  less  labor  perhaps,  and  less  time,  but  none 
will  be  found  more  beneficial  or  satisfactory  in  the  end. 

In  the  management  of  a grape  vine,  as  in  the  manage- 
ment of  other  trees,  summer  pruning  is  of  great  conse- 
quence. If  a vine  is  left  to  itself  all  summer,  or  from  one 
winter  pruning  to  another,  it  will  be  found  that  a vast 
quantity  of  useless  wood  has  been  produced,  and  that  to 
the  serious  detriment  of  the  bearing  shoots  for  the  follow- 
ing year.  Every  two  weeks  the  growing  vine  should  be 


PRUNING. 


‘:.52 

v^isited,  shoots  tied  in,  strong  ones  checked,  siipertliioua 
'^nes  rubbed  off,  and  every  part  kept  in  its  proper  place, 
and  in  a proper  degree  of  vigor.  In  certain  cases,  where 
^le  inode  of  training  above  described  cannot  be  conveni- 
ently adopted,  two  or  three  poles,  twelve  to  fifteen  feet 
high,  may  be  sunk  in  the  ground,  with  a space  of  three  or 
four  feet  between  them  at  the  bottom,  and  fastened  toire- 
tlier  at  the  top,  forming  a cone,  around  which  the  perma- 
nent canes  may  be  trained  in  a spiral  manner. 

This  produces  a very  beautiful  effect,  and  occupies  com- 
paratively little  space,  but  the  grapes  will  not  all  ripen  so 
well,  nor  will  the  training  be  so  easy  as  on  the  flat  surface 
of  a trellis. 

V ery  tasteful  arbors  may  also  be  made  over  some  of  the 
walks,  by  training  the  vine  over  the  woodwork,  in  the 
same  manner  as  on  a trellis. 

This  is  a very  common  practice  and  offers  many  advan- 
tages. Ingenious  persons  who  care  well  for  their  garden, 
as  well  in  its  appearance  as  its  productions,  wfill  conceive 
otlier  plans  still  better  adapted  to  their  particular  wants 
and  taste  than  any  of  these;  but  the  main  point  must 
always  be  kept  in  view,  that  is,  to  provide  for  the  foliage 
and  the  fruit,  a free  open  exposure  to  the  sun.  Any  sys- 
tem that  does  not  secure  this,  will  fail  to  a greater  or  less 
extent. 

Tlie  Isabella  grape  succeeds  well  even  as  far  north  as 
Maine,  by  laying  it  down  in  winter  and  covering  it  with 
mats,  straw,  boughs  of  evergreens,  &c. 

Vineyard  culture, — ^Yineyards  are  located  on  dry  sunny 
hill  sides ; the  land  is  deeply  trenched  with  the  spade  oi 
subsoil  plough  (generally  the  former,  as  it  is  more  tho- 
rough), and  liberally  manured.  The  vines  are  planted  in 
rows,  six  to  eight  feet  apart,  and  four  to  six  feet  apart  in 
the  rows,  and  are  trained  to  oak  or  cedar  posts,  six  to  eight 
feet  high.  The  young  vines  are  cut  back  close  for  the 


THE  GRAPE  VINE. 


25? 


fii*st  year  or  two,  until  they  have  become  well  rooted  and 
strong,  and  only  one  shoot  is  allowed  to  grow.  About 
the  third  year,  one  shoot,  six  feet  long  or  so,  is  left  to 
fruit,  and  a new  shoot  is  carried  up  that  season  to  bear 
the  next.  At  the  following  pruning  the  cane  that  bore  is 
cut  aw^ay,  and  thus  a continual  succession  is  kept  up. 
During  the  summer  suckers  and  superfluous  shoots  are 
kept  down,  and  the  ground  is  kept  in  good  clean  condition 
with  a horse  cultivator  principally.  As  the  vines  grow 
old,  two  and  sometimes  three  bearing  canes  are  taken 
from  each  stool. 

The  vineyards  of  Cincinnati  cover  several  hundred  acres, 
and  from  the  Catawba  grape  they  make  a ‘‘  sparkling 
champagne,”  as  good  as  the  French.  This  is  destined  to 
be  an  important  branch  of  culture. 

Culture  of  foreign  Orajpes  in  cold  mneries. — Repeated 
exj)eriments  made  during  many  years  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  have  convinced  people  generally  that  the  deli- 
cious varieties  of  the  foreign  grape  cannot  be  produced 
with  any  considerable  degree  of  success  in  the  open  air. 
A large  number  of  the  hardiest  French  and  German  sorts 
have  been  tested  in  our  ground,  but  not  one  of  them  has 
borne  satisfactorily.  A few  good  bunches  have  been 
obtained  the  first  season  or  two  under  very  favorable 
circumstances ; but  after  that  the  failure  is  complete. 
This  has  rendered  glass,  heat,  and  shelter  necessary. 

The  building, — ^These  are  constructed  of  all  sizes  and 
at  various  degrees  of  expense,  from  $50  to  $500.  Some 
have  single  lean-to  roofs;  others  have  double  or  span 
roofs.  The  walls  of  some  are  built  of  brick  or  stone; 
others  are  of  wood,  wholly.  The  cheapest  and  simplest 
structure  of  this  kind  is  the  lean-to.  The  back  may  be 
nine  or  ten  feet  high,  composed  of  strong  cedar  posts  six 
feet  apart,  and  boarded  up  on  both  sides.  The  ends  are 
made  in  the  same  manner.  The  front  may  be  two  feet 


254 


PETTKINO 


nigh,  or  three,  made  of  posts,  and  boards  or  planks,  same 
as  tlie  back.  Sills  or  plates  are  put  on  the  front  and  back 
walls,  and  then  rafters  at  three  and  a half  to  four  feet 
apart.  The  sashes  slip  in  between  the  rafters,  and  rest 
on  a strip  of  wood  on  their  sides.  Unless  the  grapery  be 
very  small,  the  sash  should  be  in  two  parts,  the  lower  one 
twice  as  long  as  the  upper,  and  fixed.  The  upper  to  slide 
down  over  the  under  one  on  pulleys,  to  ventilate  the  house : 
doors  are  in  each  end  at  the  back,  and  means  are  provided 
for  admitting  air  in  front  by  the  opening  of  boards  like 
shutters. 

The  border  is  made  for  the  vines  outside  the  front  wall, 
or  part  outside  and  part  in,  twelve  to  sixteen  feet  wide, 
also  two  or  three  deep.  This  is  done  by  digging  a trench 
or  pit  the  length  and  width  ; draining  it  thoroughly,  that 
not  a drop  of  water  can  lodge  about  it.  Then  lay  a few 
inches  of  small  stones,  broken  bricks,  shells,  etc.,  in  the 
bottom  for  drainage ; and  fill  up  the  remainder  six  inches 
above  the  level  of  the  ground,  and  sloping  outwards,  with 
a good  compost,  of  one-half  surface  loam  (turf  from  an  old 
pasture),  and  the  other  of  well  rotted  stable  manure, 
shells,  street  scrapings,  a small  portion  of  night  soil,  oftal, 
etc.  All  these  must  be  prepared  by  frequent  turning  and 
mixing  a few  months  beforehand. 

The  rines  may  be  one  or  two  years  old,  and  are  prefer- 
able in  pots  raised  from  single  eyes.  They  should  be 
planted  in  the  spring.  A plant  is  placed  under  each 
rafter  outside,  and  carried  through  under  the  wall  into  the 
house.  The  stem  is  cut  back  to  two  or  three  eyes,  and  when 
these  break  the  strongest  shoot  is  selected,  and  the  others 
pinched  off.  This  shoot  is  trained,  as  it  grows,  to  a light 
trellis  of  iron,  or  thick  wire  rods  attached  to  the  rafter, 
and  eight  or  ten  inches  from  the  glass.  If  all  goes  well, 
it  reaches  the  top  of  the  house  that  season.  In  September 
the  top  may  be  pinched  to  check  the  flow  of  sap  to  the 


THE  GRAPE  VINE. 


255 


point,  and  throw  it  more  into  the  lateral  buds  to  increase 
their  strength.  During  the  summer  no  other  shoot  is 
allowed  to  grow  but  this. 

r Tuning, — In  November  or  December  it  is  taken  down, 
pruned,  if  according  to  the  spur  system,  which  is  the  sim- 
plest, to  within  three  or  four  feet  of  its  base,  laid  on  the 
ground,  and  co  veered  with  leaves,  evergreen  boughs,  or 
mats.  There  it  remains  till  the  buds  begin  to  swell  in 
the  spring,  Vv^hen  it  is  again  fastened  to  the  trellis.  The 
shoot  from  the  terminal  bud  continues  the  cane,  and  no 
fruit  is  allowed  on  it.  Those  below  it  produce  lateral 
shoots,  from  each  of  which  a bunch  of  grapes  may  be 
taken,  and  each  of  these  must  be  stopped  at  two  eyes 
above  the  bunch ; and  this  is  repeated  as  often  as  neces- 
sary, to  give  the  fruit  the  whole  benefit  of  the  sap.  The 
leading  shoot  is  again  stopped  in  September  by  pinching 
off  its  point,  to  increase  the  vigor  of  its  lateral  buds.  In 
the  fall,  when  the  leaves  have  dropped,  the  vine  is  again 
taken  down.  The  leader  is  pruned  back  to  within  three 
to  four  feet  of  the  old  wood.  The  laterals  that  have  borne 
are  pruned  to  three  eyes,  and  it  is  then  covered  up.  This 
is  the  routine  of  spur  training.  In  long  cane  pruning,  the 
young  shoot,  after  the  first  season’s  growth,  is  cut  back 
to  three  eyes,  and  the  next  season  two  shoots  are  trained 
up.  The  next  season  the  strongest  is  selected  for  fruit,  and 
pruned  to  about  three  feet;  each  of  the  eyes  left  will 
produce  a fruit  shoot,  from  which  one  bunch  only  will  be 
taken.  The  weaker  cane  is  cut  back  to  one  eye,  and  this 
produces  a shoot  for  next  year’s  bearing,  and  so  this  goes 
on.  When  the  vine  becomes  strong,  several  bearing  canes 
may  be  provided  for  every  season.  This  renewal  or  long 
cane  is  very  simple,  and  requires  much  less  cutting  than 
the  spur.  It  also  produces  a superior  quality  of  fruit,  but 
in  general  not  so  large  a quantity. 

Thinning  the  Fruit, — ^When  the  fruit  attains  the  size 


256 


PRUNING. 


of  a garden  pea,  one  third  of  the  smaller  ones  should  be 
cut  out  carefully  with  pointed  scissors  (see  implements) 
that  are  prepared  for  this  purpose.  The  object  of  this  is, 
to  allow  the  fruits  to  swell  out  to  their  full  size.  Varie- 
ties that  produce  very  compact  bunches  require  more 
severe  thinning  than  those  of  a loose,  open  bunch. 

Cleaning  the  Vine, — At  the  time  the  vines  are  taken 
from  their  winter  quarters  and  trellised,  they  should  be 
well  washed  with  a solution  of  soft  soap  and  tobacco 
water,  to  kill  all  eggs  of  insects,  and  remove  all  loose 
bark  and  filth  that  may  have  accumulated  on  them  dur- 
ing the  season  previous.  The  house,  too,  should  be 
cleaned  and  renovated  at  the  same  time. 

Syringing  the  Yines  and  the  Fruit, — Every  one  who 
has  a grapery  must  be  provided  with  a good  hand  syringe 
for  this  is  necessary  during  the  whole  season.  As  soon 
as  they  begin  to  grow,  they  should  be  occasionally 
syringed  in  the  morning,  except  while  they  are  in  bloom. 
After  the  fruit  has  set,  they  should  be  syringed  eveiy 
evening,  and  the  house  kept  closed  till  the  next  forenoon 
when  the  sun  is  out  warm. 

Regulating  the  temperature. — When  the  temperature 
exceeds  ninety  to  one  hundred  degrees,  air  should  be  ad- 
mitted at  the  top,  and,  if  necessary,  at  the  bottom. 

To  prevent  mildew. — This  may  be  looked  for  in  July. 
Syringing  freely  night  and  morning,  and  the  admission 
of  air  during  the  warmest  hours  of  the  day,  are  the  best 
preventives  of  this  disease.  Mr.  Allen  recommend? 
dusting  sulphur  on  the  floor,  at  the  rate  of  one  pound  foi 
every  twenty  square  feet ; and  if  it  continues  to  increase, 
to  syringe  the  vines  in  the  evening,  and  dust  the  foliage 
with  it. 

Mr.  Buist  recommends  a solution  of  five  pounds  of  flour 
of  sulphur  in  four  gallons  of  water,  and  after  it  has  set- 


THE  FILBERT. 


257 


t.ed  to  add  one  fourth  of  it  to  the  water  used  in  syring* 
ing. 

This  is  but  an  imperfect  outline  of  the  management  of 
a cold  grapery.  Those  who  wish  full  information  on  all 
points  of  the  subject,  should  consult  Allen’s  excellent 
work,  which  treats  of  all  kinds  of  graperies  and  the»T 
management  in  complete  detail. 

Section  9. — Pruning  and  Training  the  Filbert. 

The  filbert  in  this  country  is  a neglected  fruit.  It  is 
seldom  found  in  the  garden,  and  more  rarely  still  in  a 
prolific,  well-grown  condition.  Of  all  other  trees,  it  re- 
quires regular  and  proper  pruning  to  maintain  its  fruitful- 
ness. The  blossoms  are  monoecious — ^that  is,  the  male 
organs  which  are  in  long  catkins  (fig.  36),  are  produced 
from  one  bud,  and  the  female  flowers  from  another. 

The  blossom  or  fruit  buds  are  produced  on  shoots  of  one 
year’s  growth,  and  bear  fruit  the  next.  The  fruit  is  borne 
in  a cluster  on  the  end  of  a small  twig  produced  from  the 
bud  bearing  the  female  organs. 

It  is  said  that  in  the  neighborhood  of  Maidstone,  county 
of  Kent,  England,  the  filbert  orchards  occupy  several 
hundred  acres,  and  from  these  the  principal  supply  of  the 
London  market  is  obtained.  One  acre  has  been  known  to 
produce  £50  sterling,  or  $250  worth,  in  one  season.  The 
pruning  of  these  Kent  growers  is  supposed  to  be  most 
perfect  of  its  kind,  especially  for  their  soil  and  climate. 
It  is  described  as  follows  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Lon- 
don Horticultural  Society 

The  suckers  are  taken  from  the  parent  plant  generally  in  the 
autumn,  and  planted  in  nursery  beds  (being  first  shortened  to  ten 
or  twelve  inches),  where  they  remain  three  or  four  years.  They 
are  slightly  pruned  every  year,  in  order  to  form  strong  lateral 
shoots,  the  number  of  which  varies  from  four  to  six.  But  though 


268 


PEUNING. 


it  is  the  usual  practice  to  plant  the  suckers  in  nursery  beds,  I 
would  advise  every  one  to  plant  them  where  they  are  to  remain, 
whether  they  are  intended  for  a garden  or  a larger  plantation ; 
and  after  being  suffered  to  grow  without  restraint  for  three  or  four 
years,  to  cut  them  down  within  a few  inches  of  the  ground. 
From  the  remaining  part,  if  the  trees  are  well  rooted  in  the  soil, 
five  or  six  strong  shoots  will  be  produced.  Whichever  method  is 
practised,  the  subsequent  treatment  of  the  trees  will  be  exactlv 
the  same. 

In  the  second  year  after  cutting  down,  these  shoots  are 
shortened  ; generally  one-third  is  taken  off.  If  ver^'  weak,  I 
would  advise  that  the  trees  be  quite  cut  down  a second  time,  as  in 
the  previous  spring  ; but  it  would  be  much  better  not  to  cut  them 
down  till  the  trees  give  evident  tokens  of  their  being  able  to  pro- 
duce shoots  of  sufficient  strength.  When  they  are  thus  shortened, 
that  they  may  appear  regular,  let  a small  hoop  be  placed  within 
the  branches,  to  which  the  shoots  are  to  be  fastened  at  equal  dis- 
tances. By  this  practice  two  considerable  advantages  will  be 
.gained — the  trees  will  grow  more  regular,  and  the  middle  will  be 
kept  hollow,  so  as  to  admit  the  influence  of  the  sun  and  air. 

In  the  third  year  a shoot  will  spring  from  each  bud  ; these 
must  be  suffered  to  grow  till  the  following  autumn,  or  fourth  year 
when  they  are  to  be  cut  off  nearly  close  to  the  original  stem,  and 
the  leading  shoot  of  the  last  year  shortened  two-thirds. 

In  the  fifth  year  several  small  shoots  will  arise  from  the  bases 
of  the  side  branches  which  were  cut  off  the  preceding  year;  these 
are  produced  from  small  buds,  and  would  not  have  been  emitted 
had  not  the  branch  on  which  they  are  situated  been  shortened, 
the  whole  nourishment  being  carried  to  the  upper  part  of  the 
branch.  It  is  from  these  shoots  that  fruit  is  to  be  expected. 
These  productive  shoots  will  in  a few  years  become  very  numerous, 
and  many  of  them  must  be  taken  off,  particularly  the  strongest, 
in  order  to  encourage  the  production  of  the  smaller  ones  ; for 
those  of  the  former  year  become  so  exhausted  that  they  generally 
decay ; but  whether  decayed  or  not,  they  are  always  cut  out  by 
the  pruner,  and  a fresh  supply  must  therefore  be  provided  to  pro- 
duce the  fruit  in  the  succeeding  year.  The  leading  shoot  is  every 


THE  FILBERT. 


259 


j^ear  to  be  shortened  two-thirds,  or  more  should  the  tree  bo  weak, 
and  the  whole  height  of  the  branches  must  not  exceed  six  feet. 

‘ The  method  of  pruning  above  detailed  might,  in  a few  words, 
be  called  a method  of  spurring,  by  which  bearing  shoots  are  pro- 
duced, which  otherwise  would  have  had  no  existence.  Old  trees 
are  easily  induced  to  bear  in  this  manner,  by  selecting  a sufficient 
number  of  the  main  branches,  and  then  cutting  the  side  shoots 
off  nearly  close,  excepting  any  should  be  so  situated  as  not  to 
interfere  with  the  others,  and  there  should  be  no  main  branch  di- 
rected to  that  particular  part.  It  will,  however,  be  two  or  three 
years  before  the  full  effect  will  be  produced.  By  the  above 
method  of  pruning,  thirty  hundred  per  acre  have  been  grown  in 
particular  grounds  and  in  particular  years,  yet  twenty  hundred  is 
considered  a large  crop,  and  rather  more  than  half  that  quantity 
ma}^  be  called  a more  usual  one  ; and  even  then  the  crop  totally 
fails  three  years  out  of  five  ; so  that  the  annual  average  quantity 
cannot  be  reckoned  at  more  than  five  hundred  per  acre. 

‘‘  When  I reflected  upon  the  reason  of  failure  happening  so 
oft(Ui  as  three  years  out  of  five,  it  occurred  to  me  that  possibly 
it  might  arise  from  the  excessive  productiveness  of  the  other  two. 
In  order  to  ensure  fruit  every  year,  I have  usually  left  a large  pro- 
portion of  those  shoots  which,  from  their  strength,  I suspected 
would  not  be  so  productive  of  blossom-buds  as  the  shorter  ones ; 
leaving  them  more  in  a state  of  nature  than  is  usually  done,  not 
pruning  them  so  closely  as  to  weaken  the  trees  by  excessive  bear- 
ing, nor  leaving  them  so  entirely  to  their  natural  growth,  as  to 
cause  their  annual  productiveness  to  be  destroyed  by  a superfluity 
of  wood.  These  shoots,  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  I have  usually 
shortened  to  a blossom-bud.” 

Such  is  the  management  of  these  celebrated  filbert 
growers,  their  principal  object  being  to  keep  the  trees 
small,  open  in  the  centre,  and  covered  in  every  part  with 
fruit  spurs.  A similar  system,  but  less  severe  in  the  cut- 
ting back,  may  be  pursued  here ; some  such  course  of 
treatment  as  recommended  for  the  head  of  the  quince  as 
to  form  and  fruitfulness. 


260 


PBUNING. 


Instead  of  relying  on  the  spring  pruning  to  subducj 
vigor  and  induce  fruitfulness,  pinching  should  be  prac- 
tised during  the  summer;  for  this  not  only  checks  the 
production  of  wood,  but  of  roots.  Root  pruning,  too,  may 
be  safely  practised  in  August,  when  pruning  and  pinch- 
ing of  the  branches  prove  insufficient. 

In  all  cases,  suckers  must  be  completely  eradicated 
every  season,  or  as  soon  as  they  make  their  appearance. 
The  want  of  pruning,,  and  the  growth  of  suckers,  make 
the  filbert  in  nearly  all  our  gardens  completely  barren ; a 
rank  production  of  wood  only  is  obtained  year  after  year. 

We  find  that  grafting  the  finer  kinds  on  stocks  of  the 
common  filbert  raised  from  seed,  renders  the  trees  much 
more  prolific  naturally,  and  also  smaller  in  size.  We 
have  trees  here  now  bearing  only  three  years  from  the 
graft ; the  stems  are  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  high,  and 
they  are  very  pretty.  Their  natural  vigor  is  greatly  sub- 
dued by  the  graft.  The  French  conduct  them  in  pyramids 
with  great  success,  on  the  same  principle  as  other  trees. 


Section  10. — Culttjke,  Pruning,  and  Training  of  the  Fig. 

In  the  Northern  States  the  fig  is  cultivated  with  very 
little  success  in  the  open  ground,  but  fine  crops  are  pro- 
duced in  the  vineries  recommended  for  foreign  grapes ; 
and  it  is  in  these  only  that  its  culture  can  yield  any  con- 
siderable degree  of  satisfaction,  north  of  Maryland  at 
least. 

Propagation, — The  surest  and  best  mode  is  by  layers. 
A large  branch  may  be  layered  in  the  spring,  and  will  be 
sufficiently  rooted  in  the  fall  to  be  planted  out.  Cuttings 
also  strike  freely,  and  make  good  plants  in  one  season. 
All  the  modes  of  propagation  recommended  for  the 
quince,  may  be  applied  to  the  fig.  Cuttings  are  general!^ 
preferred  in  the  South. 


THE  ITG. 


261 


Soil. — It  Biicceeds  in  any  good  rich,  warm  garden  soil, 
suitable  for  other  fruit  trees.  In  very  light  or  dry  soils 
the  fruits  fall  before  maturit}^,  as  they  require  at  that 
season  in  particular  a large  amount  of  moisture ; but  it  is 
better  that  it  be  too  dry  than  too  moist,  for  in  the  latter 
case  nothing  but  soft  unripe  and  unfruitful  shoots  is 
obtained,  whilst  in  the  former  moisture  can  be  supplied  at 
the  time  when  it  may  be  required.  The  w’ood  should  be 
short-jointed,  the  buds  not  more  than  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  apart.  In  England  dry  chalky  soils  produce  the 
finest  crops. 

Pruning. — ^The  fig  is  somewhat  peculiar  in  its  mode  of 
bearing.  No  blossoms  appear,  but  the  figs  are  produced 
on  the  stem,  appearing  at  first  like  buds.  The  young 
shoots  of  last  season  bear  fruit  the  next ; and  the  shoots 
produced  during  first  growth  produce  fruit  the  same 
^season,  and  this  is  called  the  second  crop.”  These  never 
ripen,  and  should  never  be  encouraged  where  the  plants 
require  protection.  In  warm  climates,  as  in  some  of  our 
Southern  States,  these  two  crops  ripen  perfectly,  though 
the  first  from  the  previous  season’s  wood  is  larger  and 
better. 

This  mode  of  bearing  shows  that  little  pruning  is  neces^ 
sary,  beyond  the  cutting  away  of  old  or  worn  out  branches, 
and  thinning  and  regulating  others.  Unfruitful  trees,  in 
a moist  and  rich  ground,  should  be  pinched  in  summer  to 
check  their  growth,  and  concentrate  the  sap  more  in  the 
lateral  buds.  Root  Pruning.^  too,  may  be  applied  as  on 
other  trees.  Mr.  Downing  recommends  this  in  his  Fruit 
and  Fruit  Trees. 

Training. — Wherever  the  trees  are  hardy  enough  to 
withstand  the  winter  without  protection,  they  may  be 
grown  in  the  form  of  low  standards,  as  recommended  for 
tlie  peach  ; but  when  protection  is  required,  where  the 
brandies  liave  to  be  laid  down  and  covered  during  winter, 


262 


PRUNING. 


they  must  be  grown  in  stools  or  bushes,  with  a dozen  or 
more  stems  rising  from  the  socket.  These  are  easily  laid 
down  and  covered,  and  easily  brought  uj)  to  their  places 
again,  in  the  way  that  raspberry  canes  are  managed.  To 
produce  this  form,  the  young  tree  is  planted  in  the  bottom 
of  a trench  about  a third  deeper  than  in  ordinary  cases,  and 
a basin  is  left  around  it.  At  the  end  of  the  first  season’s 
growth,  it  is  cut  back  to  a few  inches  of  the  base;  there  a 
number  of  shoots  are  produced.  As  these  grow  up  the 
earth  is  drawn  in  around  them,  to  favor  the  production 
of  other  shoots  at  their  base ; and  in  this  way  it  is 
managed  until  the  requisite  number  of  branches  is  ob- 
tained. 

Protection, — ^Trained  in  this  way,  a trench  is  opened  for 
each  branch,  or  three  or  four  may  be  put  in  one  trench, 
if  convenient ; they  are  fastened  down  with  hooked  pegs 
as  in  layering,  and  covered  with  a foot  of  earth,  which 
should  be  drawn  up  in  the  mound  form,  to  throw  off  the 
water. 

Ripening  the  f ruit. — In  fig  growing  countries,  and  to 
some  extent  here,  there  is  a practice  of  applying  a drop  of 
olive  oil  to  the  eye  of  the  fruit,  to  hasten  its  maturity. 
Tliis  is  usually  done  by  means  of  a straw. 

Training  in  Graperies. — ^The  back  wall  of  a lean-to  cold 
vinery  is  an  excellent  place  for  the  fig.  It  may  be 
trained  on  a trellis  in  the  fan  or  horizontal  manner,  but 
severe  pruning  must  not  be  practised  to  produce  regu- 
larity. 

Section  11. — ^Pruning  the  Gooseberry. 

The  gooseberry  produces  fruit  buds  and  spurs  on  wood 
two  years  old  and  upwards.  Fig.  127  represents  the  two- 
yoar-old  wood,  A,  with  fruit  buds  (7,  and  B.  the  one* 


THE  GOOSEBERRY. 


263 


I 


yt?ar  old  wood  witli  wood  buds,  D,  Of 
these  wood  buds,  the  upper  one  next  season 
would  produce  a shoot,  and  the  lower  ones 
would  probably  be  transformed  into  fruit 
buds.  At  the  base  of  one  of  the  fruit  buds, 

C,  may  be  seen  a small  wood  bud  d / this 
during  next  season  will  produce  a small 
shoot  or  spur.  The  great  point  to  aim  at  in 
this  country,  must  always  be  to  maintain  a 
vigorous  condition;  the  moment  the  plant 
becomes  feeble  or  stinted,  the  fruit  is  so  at- 
tacked with  mildew  or  rust  as  to  be  utterly 
worthless.  Hence  it  is  that  young  plants 
usually  bear  excellent  crops  for  the  first  or 
second  year,  while  after  that  the  mildew  is 
in  some  varieties  and  situations  unconquer- 
able. 

The  bush  should  have  a stem  of  three  or 
four  inches  in  height,  and  a head  composed 
of  five  or  six  main  branches,  placed  at  equal 
distances  and  inclined  outwards,  to  prevent  gooseberry,  a,  two 
denseness  and  confusion  in  the  centre.  YnJ  a 

These  main  branches  should  be  furnished  fruit  buds,  n,  t> 
with  bearing  wood  in  all  their  length.  The  3u  wrod’  bud  at 
production  of  such  a bush  may  be  accom-  the  ^base  of  fruit 
plished  by  the  following  means : ^ 

Supposing  the  young  plant  as  it  comes  from  the  nursery 
to  be  either  a two-year  old  cutting,  or  a one-year  bedded 
layer,  in  either  case  it  will  have  a stem  of  two  or  three 
inches  at  least,  and  a few  branches  at  the  top.  Before 
planting,  all  the  buds  on  the  part  of  the  stem  to  be  below 
the  ground  are  cut  out,  to  prevent  them  from  producing 
suckers.  Among  the  branches,  three  of  those  most  favor- 
ably situated,  are  selected  for  the  formation  of  the  head, 


the 


264 


PRUNING. 


and  the  others  are  cut  out  entirely.  The  reserved  branches 
are  then  cut  back  to  two  or  three  buds ; from  these  one 
shoot  is  taken  on  each  branch,  and  the  others  are  pinched 
to  favor  this.  By  this  method  w^e  shall  have  three  stout 
shoots  in  the  fall.  If  the  plant  had  been  well  rooted,  in- 
stead of  being  newly  transplanted,  we  might  have  taken 
two  shoots  instead  of  one  from  each  shortened  branch. 
These  three  branches  are  cut  back  at  the  next  pruning  to 
three  or  four  buds,  and  from  each  two  new  shoots  are 
taken,  giving  at  the  end  of  that  season  six  stout  young 
shoots,  situated  at  equal  distances.  At  the  next  or  third 
pruning  these  branches  are  cut  back  about  one-half,  in 
order  to  produce  lateral  branches  and  fruit  spurs.  At  the 
fourth  pruning,  the  leading  shoot  is  shortened  one-third 
to  one-half.  Any  lateral  branches  not  required  to  fill  up 
spaces,  or  such  as  are  improperly  placed,  are  cut  back  to 
three  or  four  buds,  so  as  to  convert  them  into  fruit 
branches. 

In  this  way  the  pruning  is  conducted  from  year  to  year. 
When  the  plants  become  feeble  from  overbearing,  the 
fruit  branches  may  be  headed  down  and  replaced  by  new 
vigorous  shoots.  ITie  better  way,  however,  to  provide 
for  this  difficulty,  is  to  raise  young  plants  from  layers  or 
cuttings,  to  be  at  once  substituted  for  such  as  fall  a victim 
to  the  mildew.  A northern  aspect,  a cool,  damp,  substan- 
tial soil,  and  abundance  of  manure,  are  all  necessary,  in 
connection  with  the  pruning  described,  to  produce  fine 
gooseberries. 

The  famous  growers  of  Lancashire,  England,  outdo  all 
the  world  besides  in  the  production  of  large  gooseberries. 
The  Encyclopaedia  of  Gardening  says — To  effect  this 
increased  size,  every  stimulant  is  applied  that  their  inge- 
nuity can  suggest;  they  not  only  annually  manure  the  soil 
richly,  but  also  surround  the  plants  with  trenches  of  ma- 
nure for  the  extremities  of  the  roots  to  strike  into,  and 


THE  CUERANT. 


265 


form  round  the  stem  of  each  plant  a basin,  to  be  mulched, 
or  manured,  or  watered,  as  may  become  necessary.  When 
a root  has  extended  too  far  from  the  stem  it  is  uncovered, 
and  all  the  strongest  leaders  are  shortened  back  nearly 
one-half  of  their  length,  and  covered  with  fresh  marly  loam, 
well  manured.  The  effect  of  this  pruning  is  to  increase 
the  number  of  fibres  and  spongioles,  which  form  rapidly 
on  the  shortened  roots,  and  strike  out  in  all  directions 
among  the  fresh,  newly  stirred  loam,  in  search  of  nutri- 
ment. ^ 

They  also  practise  what  they  term  suchling  their  prize 
fruit.  By  preparing  a very  rich  soil,  and  by  watering, 
and  the  use  of  liquid  manure,  shading  and  thinning,  the 
large  fruit  of  the  prize  cultivator  is  produced.  Not  con- 
tent witli  watering  at  root,  and  over  the  top,  the  Lanca- 
shire connoisseur,  when  he  is  growing  for  exhibition, 
places  a small  saucer  of  water  immediately  under  each 
gooseberry,  only  three  or  four  of  which  he  leaves  on  a 
tree ; this  he  technically  calls  suckling.  He  also  pinches 
off  a great  part  of  the  young  wood,  so  as  to  throw  all  the 
strength  he  can  into  the  fruit. 

Section  12. — Pruning  and  Management  of  the 
Currant. 

The  red  and  wLite  currants  bear  like  the  gooseberry  on 
wood  not  less  than  two  years  old,  and,  therefore,  the  same 
system  of  pruning  may  be  applied  to  them.  The  most 
convenient  and  easily-managed  form  in  which  they  can 
be  grown,  is  that  of  a bush  or  small  tree,  with  a stem  of 
three  to  six  inches  high,  and  a head  composed  of  a cer- 
tain number,  say  six  or  eight  principal  branches,  situated 

equal  distances,  and  not  nearer  to  one  another  at  the 
extremities  than  six  or  eight  inches. 

These  branches  are  produced  by  cutting  back  the 
12 


266 


PRUNING. 


young  shoots  found  on  the  nursery  plant,  as  recommended 
for  the  gooseberry.  They  are  afterwards  annually  short- 
ened to  produce  lateral  branches,  when  wanted,  and 
fruit  spurs.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  prune  too  close,  as 
this  causes  the  buds  on  the  lower  parts  to  make  wood 
instead  of  fruit  spurs : one  third,  and  in  many  cases  one 
fourth,  will  be  quite  sufficient. 

The  Currani  as  a Pyramid. — ^The  currant  is  very  easily 
formed  into  pretty  pyramids.  The  mode  of  conducting 
them  will  be  similar  to  that  recommended  for  other 
trees. 

A good  strong  shoot  must  first  be  obtained  to  com- 
mence upon  ; this  is  cut  back,  and  laterals  produced  as 
though  it  were  a yearling  cherry  tree.  Summer  pruning 
and  pinching  must  be  duly  put  in  practice,  under  any 
form,  to  keep  up  an  equality  of  growth  among  the  shoots, 
and  to  check  misplaced  and  superfluous  ones.  This  will 
obviate  a great  deal  of  cutting  at  the  winter  or  spring 
pruning.  Mr.  Rivers,  in  his  Miniature  Fruit  Garden,” 
says  : “ A near  neighbor  of  mine,  an  ingenious  gardener, 
attaches  much  value,  and  with  reason,  to  his  pyramidal 
cuiTant  trees ; for  his  table  is  supplied  abundantly  with 
their  fruit  till  late  in  autumn^  The  leading  shoots  of  -his 
trees  are  fastened  to  iron  rods  ; they  form  nice  pyramids 
about  five  feet  high ; and  by  the  clever  contrivance  of 
slipping  a bag  made  of  coarse  muslin  over  them  as  soon 
as  the  fruit  is  ripe,  faster  ing  it  securely  at  the  bottom, 
wasps,  birds,  flies,  and  all  the  ills  that  beset  ripe  currants 
are  excluded.” 

The  Currant  as  an  Espalier.-  -It  is  sometimes  desirable, 
both  to  economize  space  and  to  retard  the  period  of  ripen- 
ing, to  train  currants  on  a north  wall  or  trellis ; and  this 
is  very  easily  done  with  success.  We  have  seen  the  north 
side  of  a neighbor’s  garden  fence  completely  covered 
with  currants  without  any  system  whatever  being  pur- 


THE  EASPBERRT. 


267 


sned  in  laying  in  tlie  brandies.  The  plants  were  about 
.five  feet  apart,  and  the  branches  weiu  fastened  to  the 
wall  in  a sort  of  fan  form.  The  proper  way  to  treat  the 
currant  as  an  espalier  is,  to  produce  turn  strong  branches 
on  a stem  six  to  twelve  inches  high.  These  branches  are 
trained  out  in  a horizontal  manner  like  two  arms — one  on 
each  side  5 and  fi’om  the  shoots  which  they  will  produce, 
as  many  as  are  to  be  had  at  the  distance  of  six  inches 
fiom  one  another  are  trained  in  an  upright  position,  as  in 
the  grape  vine  (fig.  121). 

These  upright  shoots  are  managed  in  the  same  way  as 
the  branches  of  a bush;  they  are  annually  shortened  back 
a little  to  ensure  a good  supply  of  fruit  buds. 

The  Umh  currant  produces  its  best  fruit  on  the  wood 
of  the  preceding  year,  therein  differing  from  the  others. 
In  pruning  it,  the  young  Mxiod  must  be  preserved,  and 
branches  that  have  borne  must  be  cut  back  to  produce  a 
succession  of  new  bearing  wood,  as  in  the  filbert. 

Manuring.— other  fruit  tree  is  so  patient  under  bad 
treatment  as  the  currant,  and  yet  none  yields  a more 
prompt  or  abundant  reward  for  kindness.  ”ln  addition  to 
the  annual  priming  described,  the  bushes  should  receive 
a dressing  of  old,  well-prepared  manure,  two  or  three 
inches  deep,  spread  all  around  as  far  as  the  roots  go, 
and  forked  lightly  in.  It  is  a great  feeder,  and,  with- 
out these  annual  dressings,  the  soil  becomes  so  poor  that 
the  fruit  is  really  not  worth  gathering. 


RLANTnyO,  pruning,  and  training  THE  RASPBERRY. 

PlcmUng. — ^The  raspberry  succeeds  well  in  all  good 
garden  soils.  The  most  advantageous  and  economical' 
position  for  a raspberry  bed  in  the  garden,  is  generally  in 
the  wall  border,  facing  north.  In  this  situation  the  fruit 
ripens  sufficiently,  and  the  canes  are  not  so  liable  to  suffer 


268 


PRUNING. 


from  alternate  freezing  and 


thawing  in  the  winter. 


The 


young  canes  or  suckers  are  shortened  full  one  half,  and 
planted  at  the  distance  of  two  or  three  feet.  Any  flowers 
that  make  their  appearance  on  them  the  first  season 
should  he  removed,  in  order  to  turn  all  the  sap  to  the 
benefit  of  the  leaves  and  new  roots,  and  the  production 

a young  cane  for  the  next  season. 

Pruning, — ^The  stem  is  biennial — that  is,  the  canes 
are  produced  one  season  and  bear  fruit  the  next,  and  then 
die.  For  example,  in  fig.  128,  A is  the  old  cane  that  has 
borne,  and  is  of  no  further  use.  B is 
the  young  cane  produced  at  its  base 
last  season.  The  fruit  buds  produce 
small  shoots,  a,  a,^  that  bear  the 
fruit.  The  pruning  is  very  simple ; 
it  consists  merely  in  cutting  away 
early  in  the  spring  the  old  cane  that 
has  borne.  Some  people  do  this  as 
soon  as  the  fruit  is  gathered,  on  the 
ground  that  the  young  cane  is 
strengthened  by  so  doing  ; but  this  is 
questionable.  It  may  be,  on  the 
whole,  safer  to  leave  it  to  finish  its 
natural  course,  and  cut  it  away  at  the 
spring  or  winter  pruning. 

The  young  cane  is  shortened  to 
three  feet,  or  three  and  a half  or  four, 
if  it  be  quite  stout  and  vigorous.  When  the  plants  have 
been  a year  or  two  in  their  place,  several  canes  will  be 
produced  from  one  stool  in  the  same  season  ; but  three 
or  four  only  are  reserved,  and  these  the  strongest.  Each 
one  is  pruned  or  shortened  as  above,  in  order  to  concen- 
trate the  sap  on  the  bearing  buds  on  the  centre  and  lower 
parts.  This  not  only  increases  the  size,  but  improves  the 
quality  of  the  fruit.  When  the  suckers  become  very 


Fig.  128. 

The  Raspberry.  j1,  the 
old  cane  that  has  borne 
aftd  will  be  cut  away.  R, 
the  young  cane  for  next 
season,  to  be  shortened  at 
cross  line  b.  C,  radical 
bud,  to  produce  a cane 
next  season. 


THE  RASPBERRl. 


269 


mimerous,  they  enfeeble  the  plant,  and  it  soon  becomes 
worthless.  Tlie  new  ever-bearing  variety  throws  np  a 
great  profusion.  All  the  weaker  superfluous  ones  should 
be  carefully  removed  with  a trowel  early  in  the  season, 
sav  when  they  have  attained  five  or  six  inches  of  growth. 
In  selecting  such  as  are  to  be  reserved,  preference  should 
be  given  to  those  being  nearest  in  the  regular  row  of 
plants.  Some  of  the  French  authors  recommend  leaving 
a liole  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep  around  each  plant  at  the 
time  of  planting,  to  be  filled  up  gradually,  three  or  four 
inches  a year,  with  fresh  earth,  to  promote  the  formation 
of  vigorous  radical  buds,  at  the  collar  of  the  root,  as  re- 
commended for  the  fig. 

Manuring, — A liberal  dressing  of  well-decomposed 
manure  should  be  given  them  every  fall,  worked  care- 
fully in  among  the  roots  with  the  digging  fork.  With 
this  treatment  a bed  will  continue  productive  for  seven 
years  at  least. 

Training. — Mr.  Dubriel  describes  a very  pretty  and 
simple  method  of  training  practised  in  France,  and  I had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  it  carried  into  practice  in  th^* 
Rouen  Garden  (fig.  129). 


Fig.  129. 


French  .node  of  training  the  raspberry  to  stakes  and  ropes. 

The  railing  is  a narrow  strip  of  board,  or  a small 
pole,  supported  on  upright  stakes  ; it  is  eighteen  inches 
from  the  row  of  plants,  and  three  feet  from  the  ground. 
When  the  young  bearing  canes  are  pruned  in  the  spring, 


270 


PETJNINa. 


they  are  bent  over  and  fastened  to  this  rail ; and  thus  the 
young  suckers  grow  up  without  mixing  with  the  fruit 
branches ; consequently  the  fruit  ripens  better  and  is 
more  easily  gathered.  During  the  summer,  when  the 
young  suckers  destined  to  bear  the  year  following,  have 
reached  the  height  of  two  feet,  they  are  fastened  to  a 
similar  rail  on  the  other  side  of  the  row,  and  the  same 
distance  from  the  line  of  the  ground. 

The  following  is  an  English  mode  of  training  described 
in  the  London  Gardeners’  Chronicle.”  In  fig.  180,  the 


uprights  between  every  two  or  three  plants  are  iron,  and 
ithe  horizontal  lines  to  which  the  canes  are  attached,  are 
tarred  rope. 

In  fig.  131,  the  plants  are  supposed  to  be  placed  in 
rows  four  feet  apart,  and  about  the  same  distance  from 
one  another  in  the  row.  The  number  of  shoots  on  each 


is  regulated  during  the  growing  season,  no  irioi'c 


RENOVATING  APPLE  AND  .»EAR  ITIEES. 


271 


allowed  to  remain  than  the  plant  is  capable  of  support- 
ing. In  most  cases  six  or  eight  shoots  will  be  sufficient 
Where  this  method  is  practised,  a row  of  raspberries  in 
autumn  will  have  something  of  the  appearance  repre- 
sented in  fig.  131 ; the  arched  portion,  tied  to  the  stake 
in  the  centre,  being  the  canes  which  bore  fruit  last  year, 
and  which  must  be  cut  down  to  the  bottom,  and  be  re- 
placed by  the  upright  shoots  of  last  summer. 

In  this  last  arrangement,  five  or  six  fruit-bearing  canes 
are  tied  together  to  one  stake,  and  it  is  impossible  that 
the  fruit  can  either  ripen  well  or  be  gathered  easily.  The 
two  first  are  good  and  simple  plans. 

Renovating  pyramidal  trees  of  Apples  and  Pea/rs  that 
have  become  enfeebled  or  unproductive  by  age^  bad  soil^ 
bearing^  or  bad  pruning. — ^There  are  two  methods  of  doing 
this  successfully  ; one  is,  to  cut  back  all  parts  of  the  tree — 
the  stem  may  be  cut  back  half  its  length,  the  lateral 
branches  at  the  base  to  within  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  of 
the  stem,  and  shorter  as  they  advance  upwards,  so  that 
those  at  the  top  will  be  cut  to  four  or  six  inches.  This 
will  preserve  the  pyramidal  form. 

It  may  appear  unnecessary  to  cut  back  the  stem,  but 
we  find  when  this  is  not  done  it  is  almost  impossible  to 
secure  an  equal  growth  between  the  upper  and  lower 
parts,  because  the  wood  at  the  top  is  young,  and  attracts 
the  sap  much  more  than  the  wood  at  the  base  of  the  old 
branches  below.  For  a few  years  after  this  renewal  the 
young  w^ood  at  the  top  must  be  kept  very  closely  pruned, 
to  prevent  it  from  absorbing  more  than  its  due  pro- 
portion of  the  sap.  When  growth  commences  on  trees 
thus  cut  back,  a large  number  of  shoots  will  be  produced. 
Amongst  those  on  the  stem,  a strong  and  well  placed  one 
must  be  selected  for  a leader,  and  its  growth  favored  by 
checking  those  around  it.  Leaders  for  each  of  the  lateral 
branches  must  be  selected  and  encouraged  in  the  sanie 


272 


PRUNING. 


way.  The  future  management  will  be  similar  to  that 
described  for  the  formation  of  young  trees.  We  have 
succeeded  well  with  a large  number  of  trees  thus  treated. 
Where  the  soil  is  defective,  it  must  be  improved  and 
renewed  with  fresh  soil  and  composts,  so  that  abundant 
nutriment  shall  be  given  to  the  new  growth. 

The  second  method  of  renewal  referred  to  is,  that  of 
cutting  back  as  already  described,  and  grafting  each 
branch. 

The  process  of  regrafting  old  orchards  of  standard 
apple  trees,  it  is  well  known,  renews  their  vigor,  and 
replaces  old  worn  out  and  deformed  branches  with  young 
and  vigorous  ones,  giving  to  the  entire  head  a healthy  and 
youthful  appearance.  In  many  cases  this  grafting  will 
be  much  more  successful  than  simply  cutting  back,  tor 
the  scions  oeing  furnished  with  young  and  active  buds, 
that  develope  leaves  at  once,  attract  the  sap  from  the 
roots,  place  it  in  contact  with  the  atmosphere,  and  carry 
on  the  formative  process  in  all  parts  of  the  tree  with  less 
interruption  and  greater  activity  than  where  reliance  is 
placed  upon  the  production  of  new  shoots  on  the  old  wood ; 
for  this  must  be  effected  by  awakening  dormant  buds, 
which  in  many  cases  takes  place  slowly,  and  with  more 
or  less  diflSculty. 

SUNDRY  OPERATIONS  CONNECTED  WITH  THE  CULTURE  OF  FRUIT 

TREES. 

1st.  The  annual  cuUwation  of  the  soil, — ^The  soil  around 
fruit  trees  should,  especially  in  the  garden,  be  kept  in  a 
clean  friable  condition  by  the  frequent  use  of  the  hoe  and 
the  spade ; but  in  all  these  operations  the  roots  must  not 
be  injured.  The  forked  spade  (see  implements)  is  the  best 
for  operating  about  the  roots. 

2d.  Ma/nuring, — ^The  very  e ^mmon  practice  in  regard 


WATERING,  ETC. 


273 


to  the  use  of  manure,  is  to  apply  none  for  several  years, 
until  the  trees  have  begun  to  show  signs  of  feebleness  and 
exhaustion,  when  large  quantities  are  applied,  thus  in- 
ducing a rank  plethoric  growth,  that  can  scarcely  fail  t(. 
be  seized  with  diseases.  The  proper  way  is  to  apply  a 
small  dressing  of  well-decomposed  material,  like  some  of 
the  composts  recommended,  every  autumn.  This  should 
be  forked  in  around  the  extremities  of  the  roots.  There 
may  be  rich  soils  where  this  will  be  unnecessary ; but 
most  ordinary  garden  soils  require  it. 

3d.  Mulching, — This  should  be  a universal  practice  in 
our  dry  and  warm  summer  climate,  not  only  with  newly- 
planted  trees,  but  all,  and  especially  dwarfs  in  the  garden 
whose  roots  are  near  the  surface.  Three  or  four  inches 
deep  of  half  decayed  stable  manure  or  litter  makes  a 
good  mulching.  It  should  be  applied  in  May,  and  remain 
all  summer.  After  the  fall  dressing  a mulching  for  the 
winter  will  protect  the  roots  and  base  of  the  tree  from 
injury;  it  should  be  so  well  decayed  as  not  to  attract 
vermin. 

4th.  Watering, — In  dry  times,  and  especially  in  light, 
dry  soils,  fruit  trees  will  derive  vast  benefits  from  a liberal 
syringing  over  head  in  the  evening,  with  a hand  or  garden 
syringe  (see  implements).  A reservoir  in  the  garden  is 
therefore  desirable,  and  at  a point,  too,  easy  of  access  from 
all  the  quarters  of  the  garden.  This  watering  refreshes 
the  trees,  drives  away  insects,  mildew,  etc.,  and  washes 
off  dust  and  filth  that  may  accumulate  on  the  foliage  and 
fill  up  the  pores.  It  is  more  necessary  in  city  and  village, 
than  in  country  gardens. 

Protecting  trees  against  extremes  of  temperature,- 
Where  the  trunk  or  large  branches  are  liable  to  injury 
from  sudden  changes  of  temperature  in  the  winter,  or 
from  a powerful  sim  in  summer,  they  may  be  covered 
thinly  with  long  rye  straw,  fastened  on  with  willows. 


^74 


CULTUEE  OF  FRUIT  TREES. 


Tlie  trunk  alone  is  more  easily  protected  by  means  of  two 
boards  nailed  together,  forming  an  angle  for  the  tree. 
This  is  placed  on  the  south  side,  the  injury  being  induced 
chiefly  by  the  sun  at  both  seasons. 

Newly-transplanted  trees,  especially  if  they  have  tall 
trunks,  and  are  somewhat  injured  before  planting,  may 
be  saved  by  wrapping  them  lightly  with  straw ; — a straw 
rope  rolled  around  answers  the  purpose.  A little  damp 
moss  is  still  better ; an  occasional  watering  will  keep  it 
cool  and  moist,  and  enable  the  sap  to  flow  under  the  l ark. 


I^AIIT  IV 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS— GATHERING  AND  PRE- 
SERVING  FRUirS— DISEASES— INSECTS— IMPLEMENTS  IN 
roMMON  USE. 


CHAPTEK  1 


ABKIDGED  DESCEIPTIOIS^S  OF  SELECT  VARIETIES  OF 
FRUITS. 

The  acciin  ulation  of  varieties  of  fruits  within  the  last 
ten  years  has  been  so  great,  that  anything  like  a complete 
description,  or  account  of  them  all,  would  in  itself  exceed 
the  bounds  of  a moderate  sized  volume.  Taken  alto- 
gether, there  are  perhaps  at  this  moment  no  fewer  than  one 
thousand  different  vmieties  under  cultivation.  To  trace 
out  the  history,  the  peculiar  characters  and  merits  of 
these,  must  be  the  work  of  the  pomologist,  and  forms  no 
part  in  the  design  of  this  treatise.  In  making  the  follow- 
ing selections,  and  in  describing  them,  pomological  system 
and  minuteness  have  not  been  deemed  necessary,  nor  vvomd 
they  be  practicable  within  the  necessary  limits. 

The  main  object  aimed  at  is,  to  bring  to  the  notice  of 
cultivators  the  best  varieties^  those  which  ample  experi- 
ence has  proved  to  be  really  valuable^  or  which  upon  a 
partial  trial  give  strong  indications  of  becoming  so. 
Nothing  is  more  embarrassing  to  the  inexperienced  culti- 
vator than  long  lists ; and  many  will  no  doubt  be  inclined 
to  think  that  a large  number  of  the  following  varieties 
might  very  well  be  dispensed  with.  But  it  must  be 
remembered  that  our  country,  even  the  great  fruit  grow- 
ing regions  of  it,  possesses  different  climates,  that  there 
are  various  qualities  of  soils,  various  tastes  and  circum- 
stances of  individuals  to  be  provided  for.  A dozen  or 


278 


SELECT  VAKIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


twenty  sorts  of  apples  or  pears  may  be  as  many  as  one 
person  may  require ; but  it  does  not  follow  that  these  vari- 
eties only  are  to  be  cultivated,  for  it  is  very  probable  that 
another  individual,  residing  even  in  the  same  State,  would 
make  a selection  entirely  different.  New  York,  Massa- 
chusetts, New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and 
other  States,  have  all  varieties  of  their  own*  and  by  the 
time  each  has  made  a selection,  our  one  hundred  and  fifty 
varieties  will  be  appropriated,  and  a deficiency  still  exist 
in  all  probability.  We  are  not  of  those  who  cry  out 
against  new  varieties.  On  the  contrary,  we  look  upon 
every  one  of  real  excellence  as  an  additional  blessing  to 
the  fruit  growers  and  to  society,  for  which  they  should  be 
duly  thankful.  The  only  thing  to  be  observed  in  regard 
to  them  is,  that  before  entering  into  general  cultivation 
they  should  be  fairly  and  carefully  tested  under  various 
circumstances.  Some  w^ell  meaning  persons  make  a great 
cry  out  against  nurserymen  and  others,  whose  business  it 
is  to  experiment,  for  extending  their  lists,  or  noticing  new 
varieties.  If  such  a spirit  had  prevailed,  how  would  oui 
fruits  have  been  to-day  ? 

^*s  by  no  means  presumed  that  the  following  lists  are 
perfect,  even  as  far  as  they  go.  No  individual  possesses 
such  a thorough  knowledge  of  the  various  soils  and  cli- 
mates of  our  country,  or  of  the  varieties  of  fruits  best 
adapted  to  them,  as  to  enable  him  to  recommend  with  in- 
fallible correctness  special  lists  for  all  localities. 

In  attempting  this,  reliance  must  be  placed  upon  the 
experience  and  reports  of  others,  and  these  are  always 
liable  to  be  biased  by  tastes  or  prejudices.  These  things 
have  been  kept  in  view,  and  wherever  recommendations 
are  made  beyond  our  own  knowledge  and  experience, 
they  are  based  upon  the  most  reliable  authority,  and  it  is 
hoped  will  not  be  found  wholly  unserviceable  to  those 
espo dally  who  ha  ^e  neither  had  experience  nor  access  ti* 


APPLES, 


279 


sources  of  extensive  and  minute  information.  Those  who 
are  not  satisfied  with  the  abridged  descriptions,  are 
referred  to  works  more  strictly  pomological ; such  as 
Downing^ s Fruit  and  Fruit  Trees^'^  Th)ma8*s  Amer- 
ican Fruit  Culturist^'^  ‘^Homy^s  Fruits  of  America 
besides,  Ilovey^s  Monthly  Magazine^  The  Horticulturist^ 
Oenesee  Farmer^  and  other  periodicals,  where  all  new  and 
rare  fruits  are  noticed  and  described. 


FIRST  DIVISION.— KERNEL  FRUIT— APPLES,  PEARS  AND 
QUINCES. 

Section  1. — Select  Apples. 

CLASS  I. SUIVIMER  APPLES. 

1.  American  Summer  Pearmain, — Medium  size,  oblong, 
skin  smooth,  red  and  yellow;  tender,  juicy  and  rich. 
Tree  a slow^,  but  erect  and  handsome  grower;  bears  early 
and  abundantly ; one  of  the  best  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the 
country. — September. 

2.  Astracham  Red. — Large,  roundish,  nearly  covered 
with  deep  crimson,  and  a thick  bloom  like  a plum;  juicy, 
rich,  acid ; one  of  the  most  beautiful  apples.  The  tree  is  a 
vigorous  grower  with  large  foliage,  and  a good  bearer. — 
Russian; — August. 

3.  Benoni. — Medium  size,  round,  red;  flesh  tender, 
juicy  and  rich ; a good  bearer  and  strong  upright  grower. 
— ^From  Massachusetts. — August. 

4.  Bought  Large  Sweet  (Large  yellow  bough  of  Down- 
ing). — Large,  pale  yellow,  sweet,  rich  flavored.  Tree  a 
moderate,  compact  grower,  and  abundant  bearer. — ^Aug. 

5.  Bevan^s  Favorite. — A new  Jersey  apple,  where  it  is 
esteemed  as  one  of  the  best  of  its  season.  Medium  size, 
roundish  striped,  sub-acid  and  good. — ^August. 

6.  Bohanan. — A very  delicious  high-flavord  apple 


280 


SELECT  VAEIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


of  Kentucky.  Koundish,  or  inclining  to  oval,  deep  yellow 
Very  tender,  sprightly  and  fine. — August  to  October. 

7.  Caroline  Red  June, — A very  early  and  good  apple, 
cultivated  considerably  in  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  &c. 
About  as  large  as  the  Summer  Queen.  Have  seen  good 
specimens  from  Kalamazoo. 

8.  Early  Harvest, — Medium  to  large  size,  round,  pale 
yellow,  rich  sub-acid.  Tree  a moderate  grower,  but  erect 
and  handsome,  and  a good  bearer. — Last  of  July  to  Aug. 

9.  Early  Btfrawbevry, — Medium  size,  smooth  and  fair, 
mostly  covered  with  deep  red;  tender,  almost  melting, 
with  a mild,  fine  flavor.  Tree  a moderate,  erect  grower, 
and  a good  bearer;  a beautiful  and  excellent  variety  for 
both  orchard  and  garden. — Middle  to  end  of  August. 

10.  Early  Joe, — A beautiful  and  delicious,  small  sized, 
deep  red  apple.  Tree  rather  a slow,  but  upright  grower, 
and  a most  profuse  bearer ; originated  in  Ontario  County, 
K.  Y. — Last  of  August. 

11.  Early  Chandler, — Medium  size,  roundish,  striped, 
good  quality.  Originated  in  Connecticut,  but  is  exten- 
sively cultivated  in  some  parts  of  Ohio,  where  it  succeeds 
well.  The  tree  is  vigorous  and  erect. — August  and  Sept. 

12.  Early  Pennock, — This  variety  is  quite  popular  in 
some  districts  of  Ohio,  and  very  little  known  elsewhere. 
It  is  described  as  a magnificent,  large,  conical,  yellow  and 
red  apple,  ripening  there  the  middle  of  August. 

13.  Garretson^s  Early, — Medium  size,  greenish  yellow 
tender,  juicy  and  pleasant.  Tree  vigorous,  very  produc- 
tive, and  bears  young.  Noticed  first  in  Hovey’s  Magazine, 
September,  1848.  Supposed  to  have  originated  in  New 
Jersey;  not  much  disseminated. — July  and  August. 

14.  Golden  Sweeting, — Large,  roundish,  pale  yellow,  a 
very  fair,  fine,  sweet  apple.  Tree  a strong  grower,  spread- 
ing and  irregular ; a good  bearer. — August. 

15.  Keswick  Codlin, — Large,  oblong,  pale  yellow,  acid 


APPLES. 


281 


Tree  erect  and  very  vigorous ; bears  when  quite  young  and 
abundantly ; excellent  for  cooking  from  July  to  October. 

16.  Lyman^s  Large  Summer. — Large,  roundish,  pale 
yellow,  rich  and  excellent.  The  tree  requires  shortening 
like  the  peach,  to  keep  up  a proper  suj)ply  of  young  shoots, 
as  they  bear  only  on  the  ends. — August. 

17.  Manomet  (Horseblock  Apple). — ^This  is  an  excellent 
late  summer,  sweet  apple,  originated  near  Plymouth,  Mas- 
sachusetts,  and  named  by  Mr.  John  Washburn  of  that 
town.  It  is  described  in  Hovey’s  Magazine,  September, 
1848,  as  “ one  of  the  finest  early  sweet  apples,”  having 
a deep  yellow  skin,  and  a bright  vermillion  cheek.”  The 
ti’ee  is  vigorous  and  a good  bearer. — August  and  Sept. 

18.  Oslin  (Oslin  Pippin,  Arbroath  Pippin). — A famous 
Scotch  apple,  succeeds  well  in  Upper  Canada.  Medium 
size,  roundish,  yellow;  flesh  juicy,  rich  and  fine.  Tree 
productive. — August  and  September. 

19.  Ovnes  Early. — Large,  yellow,  with  a dull,  red 
cheek,  tender,  juicy  and  fine.  Imported  from  France  to 
Massachusetts  without  a name,  and  afterwards  described 
in  Hovey’s  Magazine  under  this  title.  The  tree  is  a strong 
grower. 

20.  Summer  Belle-fleur. — ^This  is  a very  fine,  late  sum- 
mer apple,  raised  by  John  E.  Comstock,  of  Duchess 
County,  from  a seed  of  the  Esopus  Spitzenburgh ; it  resem- 
bles the  yellow  belle-fleur  in  form  and  color,  and  is  de- 
scribed by  Mr.  Downing,  Horticulturist.^  vol.  3,  as  decid- 
edly superior  to  Porter,  William’s  favorite,  or  any  summer 
apple  of  its  season.”  Tree  strong  and  upright. 

21.  Summer  Sweet  Paradise. — A large  fine,  sweet 
apple,  from  Pennsylvania ; round,  greenish  yellow,  juicy, 
sweet  and  rich. — August  and  September. 

22.  Sine-qua-non. — Medium  size,  greenish  yellow ; flesh 
tender  and  fine  flavored.  Tree  a slender,  slow  grower, 


282 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


but  bears  well.  Originated  on  Long  Island  by  tno  late 
William  Prince. — August. 

23.  Summer  Bose  (Woolman’s  Early). — Medium  size, 
roundish,  pale  yellow,  with  a red  cheek,  tender  and  deli- 
cious; has  a most  beautiful  waxen  appearance.  Tree 
rather  a slow  grower,  but  a good  bearer. — Middle  to  end 
of  August. 

24.  Summer  Queen, — Large,  conical,  striped  and  clouded 
with  red ; rich  and  fine  fiavored.  Tree  grows  rather  irre- 
gular, with  a large  spreading  head. — August. 

25.  Sops  of  Wine, — Medium  size,  conical,  dark  crim- 
son fiesh  stained  with  red,  tender  and  delicious.  Tlie  tree 
is  a fine  grower  and  bearer,  and  the  fruit  remains  a long 
time  in  use ; known  as  the  Pie  Apple”  about  Oswego. 
— August  and  September. 

26.  Summer  Scarlet  Pearmain  (Bell’s  Scarlet)  English. 
— ^Medium  to  large,  conical,  mostly  covered  with  crimson ; 
flesh  stained  with  red;  tender  and  good.  Trees  grow 
freely,  and  bear  young  and  abundantly. — Aug.  and  Sept. 

27.  Williams^  Favorite, — ^Large,  oblong,  red,  rich  and 
excellent,  a moderate  grower  and  good  bearer;  highly 
esteemed  in  Massachusetts,  where  it  originated. — August. 

CLASS  II. AUTUMN  APPLES. 

28.  Alexander  (Emperor  Alexander). — A very  large 
and  beautiful  deep  red  apple,  with  a light  bloom.  Tree 
spreading,  vigorous,  and  productive.  Russian. — October 
and  November. 

29.  Autumn  Strawberry  (Late  Strawberry). — Medium 
size,  streaked  light  and  dark  red  ; tender,  crisp,  juicy  and 
fine.  Tree  vigorous,  rather  spreading,  productive;  one 
of  the  best  of  its  season. — September  and  October.  Cul- 
tivated most  in  Western  New  York;  origin  unknown. 

30.  Autumn  Swaar, — A large,  roundish,  flattened,  yel 


APPLES. 


283 


low  apple,  generally  known  as  Sweet  Swaar”  in  the 
orchards  of  Western  New  York.  The  flesh  is  yellow, 
juicy,  sweet  and  rich ; tree  stout  and  spreading ; very 
good. 

31.  Beauty  of  Kent, — A magniflcent  English  apple, 
rivalling  the  Alexander  in  size  and  beauty,  skin  striped 
with  dark  red ; flesh  tender  but  coarse,  and  indifferent 
in  flavor ; excellent  for  cooking ; tree  very  vigorous  and 
productive. 

32.  Bailey  Spice. — A medium-sized,  roundish,  yellow 
apple,  with  a sub-acid,  brisk  spicy  flavor,  introduced  by 
Jno.  W.  Bailey,  of  Plattsburg,  N.  T.,  where  it  originated; 
tree  of  moderate  growth,  a great  bearer, — fruit  always 
fair  ; little  known  yet. — September  and  October. 

33.  Cooper. — A very  large,  beautiful,  and  excellent 
Ohio  apple,  roundish, — skin  yellow  streaked  with  light 
red ; flesh  tender,  juicy,  and  agreeable.  (Barrels  of  them 
were  exhibited  at  the  Ohio  State  Fair  in  1850,  and  noth- 
ing in  season  equalled  them.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
brought  originally  from  New  England.) — October  to 
December. 

31.  Clyde  Beauty. — Large,  conical,  pale  yellow,  striped 
and  marbled  with  light  red  ; sub-acid,  good ; introduced 
tu  us  by  Mr.  Matthew  Mackie,  of  Clyde,  N.  Y.,  where  it 
originated. — October  to  December. 

35.  Duchess  of  Oldenburg. — A large  beautiful  Russian 
apple,  roundish,  streaked  red  and  yellow ; tender,  juicy, 
and  pleasant ; tree  a vigorous  fine  grower,  and  a young 
and  abundant  bearer. — September. 

36.  Drap  dDr.^  or  Cloth  of  Gold, — Large,  golden  yel- 
low ; flavor  mild  and  agreeable  ; tree  spreading. — October. 

37.  Dyer. — See  Pomme  Royal. 

38.  Fall  Pippin, — Very  large,  roundish  oblong,  yel- 
low; flesh  tender,  rich,  and  delicious;  tree  vigorous, 


284 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


spreading,  and  a fine  bearer;  esteemed  everywhere. — 
October  to  December. 

39.  Fall  Harvey, — A large,  handsome  yellow  apple, 
resembling  the  Fall  Pippin,  but  not  so  good.  Essex 
county.  Mass. — October  and  November. 

40.  Fleiner, — Medium  size,  oblong,  pale  yellow,  with 
a red  cheek  ; tender  and  pleasant ; has  a beautiful,  smooth, 
waxy  appearance ; tree  erect,  and  a great  bearer;  Ger- 
man.— September  and  October. 

41.  Gravenstein, — A beautiful,  large,  striped,  roundish 
apple  of  the  first  quality  ; tree  remarkably  vigorous  and 
erect  in  growth,  and  very  productive.  German. — Septem- 
ber and  October. 

42.  Garden  Royal, — Small,  yellow,  striped  with  red, 
sub- acid,  rich,  spicy,  and  delicious ; tree  of  moderate  or 
slow  growth  ; Massachusetts. — September.  First  noticed 
by  Manning  in  Hovey’s  Magazine.  Not  adapted  for  the 
orchard  either  in  tree  or  fruit. 

43.  Ilaslcell  Sweet  (Sassafras  Sweet  Cole). — Large,  fiat, 
greenish  yellow,  tender,  sweet,  and  rich  ; tree  vigorous 
and  productive.  Massachusetts. — September  and  October. 

44.  Hawthornden, — A beautiful  Scotch  apple,  medium 
to  large  size,  pale  yellow  and  red ; trees  have  strong 
shoots,  with  low  spreading  heads  ; constant  and  abundant 
bearer  ; excellent  for  cooking.— September  and  October. 

45.  Hawley  (Dowse). — A magnificent,  large  pale  yel- 
low apple,  mild  acid,  tender,  rich,  and  fine ; tree  is  a fair 
grower,  and  bears  well ; originated  in  Columbia  county, 
N.  T. ; has  black  spots  in  some  seasons. — September  and 
October. 

46.  Jewett^s  Fine  Red, — An  excellent  New  England 
apple,  medium  size,  tender  and  fine  fiavored ; a good 
grower  and  bearer,  said  to  be  well  adapted  to  the  North, 
— October  and  November. 

47.  Jersey  Sweet, — Medium  size,  striped  red  and  green, 


APPLES. 


285 


tendeij  juicy,  and  sweet;  a strong  fine  grower  and  good 
bearer ; succeeds  well,  and  is  highly  esteemed  in  almost 
all  parts  of  the  country,  both  for  table  and  cooking.— 
September  and  October. 

48.  Kane  (Cain). — A very  beautiful,  smooth  crimson 
apple,  of  Delaware,  resembling  the  Fameuse ; medium 
size,  roundish,  and  good  quality. — October. 

49.  Lowell^  Orange^  Tallow  Pijp^in  (Queen  Anne  in 
Ohio). — Large,  oblong,  pale  yellow,  skin  oily,  quality 
excellent;  tree  a good  grower  and  bearer. — September 
and  October. 

50.  Lyman^s  Pumpkin  Sweet  (Pound  Sweet). — A large, 
round,  green  apple,  fine  for  baking ; tree  very  vigorous, 
upright,  and  productive  ; much  grown  in  Western  New 
York. — October  to  December. 

51.  Maiden^ s Blush, — Medium  size,  fiat,  pale  yellow, 
with  a red  cheek,  beautiful,  tender  and  pleasant,  but  not 
high  fiavored ; tree  an  erect  and  fine  grower,  and  good 
bearer. — September  and  October. 

52.  Munson  Sweet, — Medium  to  large,  roundish  flat- 
tened, pale  yellow,  with  a blush  on  the  sunny  side ; ten- 
der, sweet,  and  good ; becomes  rather  dry  as  it  matures  ; 
very  fine  for  baking,  and  very  beautiful ; introduced  to  us 
by  Mr.  Jesse  Storrs,  of  Marathon,  N.  Y.  It  is  said  to  be 
a native  of  Massachusetts  ; tree  a good,  upright  grower, 
and  good  bearer. — October  to  December. 

53.  Northern  Sweet, — K very  beautiful  and  excellent 
sweet  apple,  introduced  to  us  by  Mr.  Jonathan  Batty,  of 
Reeseville,  N.  Y.,  who  presented  it  at  the  Pomological 
Convention  at  New  York,  in  1849.  It  is  so  much  like 
tne  Munson  that  we  once  thought  them  identical.  It  is 
supposed  to  have  originated  in  Chittenden  county,  Vt. 
The  tree  is  a moderate  grower,  with  drooping  brar  ches, 
and  a great  bearer. 

54.  Porter, — Medium  size  to  large,  oblong,  yellow 


286 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


flesh,  fine,  tender,  and  of  excellent  flavor ; tree  a mode 
rate  grower ; very  popular  in  Massachusetts. — September. 

55.  Pomme  Poyal^  or  Dyer, — Large,  roundish,  yellow- 
ish white,  with  a brown  tinge  next  the  sun,  crisp,  juicy, 
and  high  flavored ; tree  a fair  grower  and  abundant 
bearer. — September  and  October. 

56.  Pumphin  Sweet Pumjpkin  Pusset, — A very  large, 
roimd,  yellowish  russet  apple,  very  sweet  and  rich  ; tree 
a strong,  rapid  grower,  with  a spreading  head  ; valuable. 
— October  and  November. 

57.  President, — Large  and  beautiful,  yellow,  with  a red 
cheek,  roundish,  flattened,  of  good  quality,  bears  most  abun- 
dantly. We  obtained  it  from  Columbus,  Ohio. — October. 

58.  Pepublican  Pippin, — Large,  roundish,  striped,  sub- 
acid ; described  by  Dr.  Brinkle,  in  the  Llorticulturist,  as 
having  a peculiar  walnut  flavor  ; ‘‘  quality  No.  1.”  The 
tree  is  a vigorous  grower  and  regular  bearer,  but  does 
not  bear  so  well  on  a limestone  soil.”  September  to  Octo- 
ber, and  fit  for  cooking  in  July.  Originated  in  Lycoming 
county.  Pa. 

59.  St,  Lawrence, — Large,  round,  streaked’  red  and 
greenish  yellow  ; a very  beautiful,  productive,  and  popu- 
lar market  apple.  Originated  in  Montreal,  Canada. — 
October. 

60.  Spice  Sweet, — Large,  pale  yellow,  with  a blush  on 
the  sunny  side,  quite  waxen  and  beautiful,  tender,  sweet, 
and  fine ; a great  bearer. — September. 

61.  Smoke-House, — ^This  is  a fine  apple,  originated  in 
Lancaster  county.  Pa.  Rather  large,  fiat,  striped  ; tree  is 
a rapid  grower,  with  spreading  branches;  fiesh  crisp, 
juicy,  and  fine  fiavored.  Octoberc  Not  much  dissemi- 
nated yet. 

62.  Sawyer  Sweet, — Medium  size,  conical,  greenish, 
with  a blush  cn  the  exposed  side ; tender,  sweet,  and 
good  ; the  tree  is  a free  upright  grower,  and  a good 


APPLES. 


287 


bearer.  October  and'Kovember.  Described  by  Kenrick, 
from  whom  we  obtained  it. 

63.  Superb  Sweet, — Large,  roundish,  yellow  and  red; 
flesh  tender,  juicy,  rich  flavored ; tree  is  a good  grower 
and  bearer;  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  succeeds  well 
in  Maine.  Described  by  Cole,  who  sent  it  to  us. — Sep- 
tember and  October. 

64:.  Summer  Sweet  Paradise, — Large,  roundish,  flat- 
tened, pale  green,  marked  with  gray  dots ; flesh  tender, 
sweet,  and  rich ; the  tree  is  very  productive,  and  bears 
young.  Originated  at  Columbia,  Pa. ; one  of  the  best 
dessert  varieties  of  its  season. — September  and  October. 

65.  Tompkins, — A large  and  beautiful  apple,  from 
Tompkins  county,  N.  Y.,  where  it  is  supposed  to  have 
originated.  It  is  of  a golden  yellow  color  at  maturity ; 
flesh  sub-acid,  tender,  and  rich  ; tree  productive.  October 
and  November.  Described  in  the  Horticulturist  in  184:7. 

66.  Towne, — Large,  flat,  striped ; flesh  tender,  juicy, 
mild,  and  pleasant ; ripens  with  the  Gravenstein,  and  is 
nearly  as  good  with  us  ; obtained  from  Kenrick. 

CLASS  rv. APPLES  FOR  ORNAMENT  OR  PRESERVING. 

67.  Red  Siberian  Crab, — Small,  about  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter, yellow,  with  scarlet  cheek  ; beautiful ; tree  is  vigor- 
ous and  erect ; bears  when  two  or  three  years  old. — Sep- 
tember and  October. 

68.  Large  Red  Siberian  Crab, — ^Nearly  twice  as  large 
as  the  above,  but  similar  in  appearance  and  quality ; trees 
grow  large. — September  and  October. 

69.  Yellow  Sibericm  Crab, — ^Nearly  as  large  as  the  last, 
and  of  a beautiful  golden  yellow. 

70.  Large  Yellow  Crab, — ^Larger  than  any  of  the  pre- 
ceding, pale  yellow,  with  tint  of  red  in  the  sun ; tree  a 
vigorous  and  rapid  grower. 


288 


SELECT  YAKIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


Yl.  Double  Flowering  Chinese. — A beautiful  orna- 
mental tree,  producing  large  clusters  of  semi-double  rose 
colored  blossoms. 

CLASS  m. WINTER  APPLES. 

Y2.  Baldwin  (Steele’s  Red  Winter,  in  Western  New 
York). — A large,  fair,  bright,  red  apple,  roundish,  in- 
clining to  oblong ; flesh  crisp,  juicy,  and  pleasant ; not 
Fery  flne  grained.  Tree  is  a vigorous,  rapid  grower,  with 
curved  erect  branches,  and  forms  a regular  open  head  in 
the  orchard  ; bears  abundantly  ; originated  in  Massachu- 
setts, where  it  is  one  of  the  most  popular  and  profitable 
winter  fruits  for  market.  It  also  succeeds  well  through- 
out New  York,  and  especially  in  the  Genesee  Yalley; 
variable  in  the  south  and  west. 

Y3.  Baily  Sweet  (Patterson  Sweet). — ^A  magniflcent 
sweet  apple  of  the  largest  size,  originated  in  Wyoming 
county.  New  York ; brought  to  our  notice  a few  years 
ago,  by  E.  A.  McKay,  Esq.,  of  Naples,  New  York ; color 
deep  reddish  crimson ; flesh  tender,  sweet,  juicy,  and 
rich ; tree  vigorous,  erect,  and  productive. — October  to 
January. 

Y4:.  Bourrassa. — Large,  conical,  reddish  russet,  rich 
and  high-flavored,  but  rather  dry;  supposed  to  have 
originated  in  Lower  Canada ; a very  valuable  apple  for 
the  high  northern  latitudes ; succeeds  well  in  western 
New  York. — October  to  March. 

75.  Blue  Pearmain. — ^Yery  large,  roundish,  purplish 
red,  clouded,  covered  with  bloom ; flesh  sub-acid,  juicy, 
and  good  ; tree  is  a vigorous  grower,  with  large  foliage, 
and  a spreading  head ; bears  moderately ; very  popular 
in  the  markets  on  account  of  its  size  and  beauty. — Octo- 
ber to  January. 

76.  Bell-flower^  Yellow. — Mr.  Downing  follows  Thomp 


APPLES. 


289 


son  in  calling  this  Belle-fleur^  which  is,  no  doubt,  correct, 
tliis  being  the  French  term  for  handsome  flower,  while 
our  word  means  bell-shaped  flower  ; but  having  been  de- 
scribed as  bell-flower  by  the  older  authors,  and  universally 
known  and  called  so  in  this  country,  it  cannot  be  changed. 
The  fruit  is  large,  oblong,  slightly  conical,  yellow,  with  a 
blush  on  the  sunny  side ; flesh  crisp,  juicy,  pretty  acid, 
and  rich  ; tree  is  a rapid  grower,  with  spreading  and 
drooping  branches,  very  productive ; originated  in  New 
Jersey;  succeeds  well  throughout  a large  portion  of  the 
country. — November  to  April. 

77.  Belmont  (Gate). — A beautiful  and  excellent  apple 
of  Ohio ; large,  roundish,  inclining  to  conical ; yellow, 
with  a tinge  of  red  on  one  side ; sub-acid,  juicy,  and  flne ; 
succeeds  well  in  New  York  and  northern  Ohio,  but  is 
variable  at  Cincinnati  and  further  south. — October  to 
February.  Described  by  Mr.  Downing  as  Waxen,”  he 
supposing  it  to  be  identical  with  that  of  Coxe.  This  is 
yet  in  doubt. 

78.  Belle  et  Bonne, — ^This  is  a native  of  Connecticut ; a 
tree  at  East  Hartford , forty  years  old,  measures  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet  in  circumference,  and  bears  forty  to 
fifty  bushels  a year.  Mr.  Downing  describes  it  as  a very 
large,  showy,  yellow  apple,  of  the  fall  pippin  class  the 
tree  forms  a beautiful  symmetrical  head,  and  bears  abun- 
dantly.— October  to  January.  Keep  all  winter.  There 
is  an  apple  by  this  name  cultivated  about  Eochester, 
large,  showy,  striped,  of  fair  quality,  ripens  in  September, 

79.  Broadwell, — A fine,  new,  sweet  apple,  from  Ohio^ 
large,  greenish  yellow,  tender,  sweet,  and  excellent  j 
keeps  till  spring. 

80.  Carthouse  (Gilpin,  Eed  Komanite). — Medium  size,, 
round,  striped,  sub-acid,  and  agreeable  ; cultivated  rather 
extensively  in  some  parts  of  the  south,,  where  it  is  es- 

13 


290 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


teemed  for  its  productiveness  and  good  keeping  qualities 
It  is  also  grown  much  for  cider. — February  to  May. 

81.  Danvers^  Winter  Sweet, — Medium  size,  roundish, 
slightly  conical ; greenish  yellow,  with  a brown  tinge  op 
the  sunny  side  ; flesh  yellowish,  crisp,  juicy,  and  rich , 
tree  very  productive,  spreading;  one  of  the  best  sweet 
apples  ; origin,  Danvers,  Massachusetts ; keej)s  till  April. 

82.  Dominie. — Medium  size,  flat,  greenish  yellow, 
streaked  with  red,  sub-acid,  juicy,  and  high  flavored. — 
November  to  April.  Cultivated  rather  extensively  in  the 
orchards  on  the  Hudson  ; resembles  the  Rambo,  and  like 
it  succeeds  w^ell  in  the  west  and  south. 

83.  Dutch  Mignonne. — A very  large,  beautiful,  and  ex 
cellent  apple  ; a native  of  Holland;  orange,  marked  with 
russet  and  faint  streaks  of  red  ; fine  flavored  ; tree  erect, 
and  good  bearer. — November  to  March. 

84.  Fameuse. — Medium  size,  deep  crimson,  flesh  snowy 
white,  tender,  and  delicious ; tree  vigorous,  with  dark 
wood  ; a beautiful  and  fine  early  winter  fruit ; succeeds 
]>articularly  well  in  the  north. — November,  December 
January;  September,  and  October,  in  Ohio  and  farther 
south.  Native  of  Canada. 

85.  Fallawater. — From  Columbia,  Pennsylvania ; me- 
dium size,  slightly  conical,  greenish  yellow,  with  a dull 
blush  on  the  sunny  side  ; flesh  juicy,  sub-acid,  and  good ; 
productive. 

86.  Fort  Miami. — A new  variety  from  Ohio.  Said  to 
be  a rich,  high-flavored,  good  keeper. 

87.  Green  Sweeting. — Medium  size,  greenish,  tender, 
sweet,  and  spicy ; one  of  the  very  best  long-keeping 
sweet  apples ; tree  a moderate  grower. — ^November  to 
May. 

88.  Jflullbardson  Nonsuch. — Large,  striped  yellow  and 
red,  tender,  juicy,  and  fine,  strong  grower  and  great 
bearer;  native  of  Massachusetts. — ^November  to  January 


APPLES. 


291 


89.  TIooher, — A large  fine  apple,  introduced  to  Ko* 
Chester  by  Judge  E.  B.  Strong,  from  Connecticut;  color 
greenish  yellow,  striped,  and  covered  with  dark  red  in  the 
sun  ; flesh  tender,  juicy,  and  fine-flavored ; tree  very  pro- 
ductive. — November  to  January. 

90.  Hartford  Sweeting  (Spencer  Sweeting). — K native 
of  Hartford,  Connecticut ; medium  size,  flat,  striped ; flesh 
juicy,  tender,  and  rich ; keeps  till  late  in  spring ; tree 
very  productive  ; a valuable  orchard  variety. 

91.  Jonathan. — Medium  size,  striped  red  and  yellow; 
flesh  tender,  juicy,  and  rich,  with  much  of  the  Spitzen- 
burg  character  ; shoots  light-colored,  slender,  and  spread* 
ing  ; very  productive  ; a native  of  Kingston,  New  York. 
— November  to  April. 

92.  King. — A large  handsome  fruit,  striped  red  and 
yellow,  of  fair  but  not  first-rate  quality  ; tree  remarkably 
vigorous  and  fruitful. — October  to  January. 

93.  Lady  Apple Pomme  d^Api. — A beautiful  little 
dessert  fruit,  flat,  pale  yellow,  with  a brilliant  red  cheek ; 
flesh  crisp,  juicy,  and  pleasant ; the  tree  forms  a dense, 
erect  head,  and  bears  large  crops  of  fruit  in  clusters  ; the 
fruit  sells  for  the  highest  price  in  New  York,  London,  and 
Paris. — November  to  May.  There  are  four  or  five  varie- 
ties of  these  described  by  authors,  but  this  is  the  best. 

94.  Ladies^  Sweet.- — Large,  roundish,  green,  and  red^ 
nearly  quite  red  in  the  sun  ; sweet,  sprightly,  and  per- 
fumed ; shoots  slender  but  erect ; a good  bearer ; origin- 
ated near  Newburg,  New  York  ; one  of  the  best  winter 
sweet  apples. — November  to  May. 

95.  Limber  Twig  (James  River). — A large,  duH,  red! 
apple  ; second  rate  in  quality,  but  keeps  till  June  or  July, 
on  account  of  which  chiefly  it  is  cultivated  at  the  south 
and  west ; the  tree  has  weak,  pendulous  branches,  but  is 
exceedingly  hardy,  and  bears  immense  crops. 

96.  Mother, — Large,  red  ; flesh  very  tender,  rich,  and 


'>92 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


aromatic  ; tree  a good  bearer  ; succeeds  well  in  the  north ; 
supposed  to  have  originated  in  Worcester  county,  Massa- 
chusetts.— -November  to  January. 

97.  Melon  (Norton’s). — Large,  pale,  whitish  yellow  and 
Vermillion  red  ; flesh  tender,  juicy,  almost  melting,  and 
spicy  ; a most  beautiful  and  delicious  fruit ; originated  in 
East  Bloomfleld,  New  York;  the  tree  is  rather  a slow 
grower,  but  a good  bearer  ; retains  its  freshness  from 
October  to  April. 

98.  McLellan  (Martin). — Large,  roundish,  yellow,  strip- 
ed with  red ; flesh  flne  grained,  mild,  tender,  and  plea- 
sant ; tree  productive  ; originated  in  Woodstock,  Connec- 
ticut, where  it  is  highly  esteemed.  Mr.  Downing  con- 
siders it  worthy  of  a place  in  every  small  collection,  and 
valuable  for  the  orchard.” 

99.  Minister, — A large,  showy,  oblong,  striped  apple, 
fine-grained  and  pleasant,  sub-acid.  Mr.  Manning  con- 
sidered it  one  of  the  finest  apples  Massachusetts  pro- 
duced ; with  us  it  is  about  second-rate ; trees  exceedingly 
productive. — October  to  January. 

100.  Monmouth  Pijppin  (Red  Cheeked  Pippin). — A 
large,  showy,  good  apple,  of  New  Jersey,  somewhat  cul- 
tivated, and  succeeds  well  in  western  New  York,  round- 
ish, oblong,  greenish  yellow,  with  a deep  red  cheek ; 
flesh  rather  compact,  sub-acid,  and  agreeable  ; keeps  well 
till  March  or  April;  tree  upright,  vigorous,  and  pro- 
ductive. 

101.  Northern  Spy, — Large,  striped,  and  quite  covered 
on  the  sunny  side  with  dark  crimson,  and  delicately 
coated  with  bloom  ; flesh  juicy,  rich,  highly  aromatic,  re- 
taining its  freshness  of  flavor  and  appearance  till  July; 
the  tree  is  a remarkably  raj)id,  fine,  erect  grower,  and  a 
great  bearer ; like  all  trees  of  the  same  habit,  it  requires 
good  culture,  and  an  occasional  thinning  out  of  the 
branches,  to  admit  the  sun  and  air  fully  to  the  fruit.  It 


APPLES. 


293 


is  one  of  the  largesi:,  most  beautiful,  and  excellent  long 
keeping  apples  yet  known  ; originated  in  Ontario  county, 
New  York,  and  introduced  a few  years  ago.  Mr.  Cole 
says  it  is  found  to  be  very  hardy  as  far  north  as  Maine. 

102.  Newtown  Pippin, — One  of  the  most  celebrated 
of  American  apples,  on  account  of  its  long-keeping  and 
excellent  qualities,  and  the  high  price  it  commands 
abroad  ; but  its  success  is  confined  to  certain  districts  and 
soils.  It  attains  its  greatest  perfection  on  Long  Island, 
and  on  the  Hudson.  In  western  New  York  and  New 
England,  it  rarely  succeeds  well.  It  requires  rich  and 
high  culture,  and  it  is  said  a large  supply  of  lime  ; tree  a 
slow,  feeble  grower,  with  rough  bark. — November  to 
June. 

103.  Ortley  (Detroit,  White  Bellflower,  Warren  Pippin, 
etc.,  of  the  West,  Woolman’s  Long,  etc.,  etc.). — Large, 
roundish,  slightly  oblong,  pale  yellow  ; flesh  sub-acid, 
sprightly  and  fine  ; succeeds  well  in  New  Jersey,  and  in 
the  west ; origin,  New  Jersey. 

101.  PecPs  Pleasant, — Large,  pale  yellow,  with  a 
brown  cheek,  very  smooth  and  fair ; flesh  firm  and  rich, 
approaching  the  flavor  of  a Newtown  pippin ; tree  erect 
and  a fine  bearer. — November  to  April. 

105.  Pomme  Orise, — Small,  greyish  russet,  very  rich, 
and  high-flavored  ; tree  a moderate  grower,  but  a good 
bearer ; very  valuable  in  the  north  ; is  frequently  shipped 
from  Canada  to  England. — ^November  to  April. 

106.  Piokman  (Pickman  Pippin). — Medium  to  large, 
roundish,  slightly  flattened,  of  a beautiful  clear  straw 
color ; sub-acid  and  rich ; fine  for  cooking. — November  to 
February.  Supposed  to  be  a native  of  Massachusetts. 

107.  PryoT^s  Red, — A very  popular  and  excellent  fruit 
in  Ohio  and  Kentucky ; somewhat  similar  to  the  Bourassa 
in  ‘color  and  flavor ; reddish  or  brownish  russet ; rather 
dry,  but  rich  and  high-flavored ; rather  late  and  shv 


294 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


bearer.- -December  to  February.  Cultivated  extensively 
for  tlie  New  Orleans  market. 

108.  Phillip^6  Sweeting, — A new  Ohio  apple,  large, 
conical,  yellow  and  red ; flesh  tender,  juicy,  sweet,  and 
good.  Early  winter. 

109.  Pambo  (Romanite,  Seek-No-Farther). — Good  and 
popular  over  a greater  extent  of  country  than  any  other 
variety ; medium  size,  round,  greenish,  yellow,  striped 
with  red  ; flesh  exceedingly  tender,  juicy,  and  pleasant ; 
tree  vigorous,  erect,  and  very  productive ; ripens  in  the 
autumn  at  the  south  and  west,  but  keeps  here  till  Feb- 
ruary. 

110.  Rome  Beauiy, — A large  and  very  beautiful  new 
apple  of  Ohio ; w’e  saw  it  at  Cincinnati  in  1850 ; it  is 
roundish  or  very  slightly  conical,  pale  yellow,  mostly 
covered  with  bright  red ; flesh  not  very  fine,  but  tender, 
juicy,  and  good ; early  winter.  It  will  undoubtedly  be 
valuable  for  the  orchard. 

111.  Raiol^s  Jannet  (Rawle’s  Janneting,  Never-fail, 
Rockremain,  &c.). — ^The  most  popular  and  valuable 
orchard  fruit  of  Kentucky.  An  experienced  orchardist  of 
that  State,  Mr.  Sanders,. of  Carrol  county,  who  has  known 
it  for  fifty  years,^  says  that  “ 30  to  40  per  cent,  of  every 
orchard  in  Kentucky  should  be  planted  with  it.”  It  blos- 
soms two  weeks  later  than  most  other  varieties,  and  there- 
fore always  escapes  spring  frosts.  It  is  medium  to  small, 
round,  greenish  streaked,  and  clouded  with  dull  red  ; flesh 
compact,  crisp,  juicy  and  vinous. — Keeps  till  June  or 
July. 

112.  Reinette,^  Canada, — ^Yery  large,  flattened,  ribbed, 
dull  yellow,  flesh  firm,  juicy  and  rich;  tree  a strong 
grower  and  good  bearer.  In  France  it  is  considered  the 
largest  and  best  apple,  and  proves  excellent  here ; it  keeps 
better  for  being  picked  early. — November  to  March. 

113.  Red  Canada  (Old  None-such  of  Massachusetts!  — 


APPLES. 


295 


Medium  size,  red,  with  white  dots,  flesh  flne,  rich,  sub-acid 
and  delicious ; tree  a slender  grower;  one  of  the  best  of 
apples. — ^November  to  May. 

114.  Rhode  Island  Greening, — ^Every  where  well  known 
and  popular ; tree  spreading  and  vigorous,  always  more 
or  less  crooked  in  the  nursery;  a great  and  constant  bearer 
in  nearly  all  soils  and  situations ; fruit  rather  acid,  but 
excellent  for  dessert  or  cooking ; towards  the  south  it  ripens 
in  the  fall,  but  in  the  north  keeps  well  till  March  or  April. 

115.  Russet  Golden, — Medium  size,  dull  russet,  with  a 
tinge  of  red  on  the  exposed  side ; flesh  greenish,  crisp, 
juicy  and  high  flavored;  tree  a fine  grower,  spreading 
with  light  colored  speckled  shoots,  by  which  it  is  easily 
known;  bears  well;  popular  and  extensively  grown  in 
Western  New  York. — November  to  April. 

116.  Russet  Golden  American  (Bullock’s  Pippin, 
Sheep’s  Nose). — Medium  size  to  small,  conical,  slightly 
russeted;  flesh  remarkably  tender,  juicy  and  rich;  of  the 
finest  quality;  origin.  New  Jersey,  and  succeeds  well  in 
the  west  and  south.  Tree  an  upright,  compact,  but  not 
rapid  grower. 

117.  Russet  English  (Poughkeepsie  Russet). — Medium 
size,  slightly  conical,  greenish  yellow,  mostly  covered 
with  russet.  Tree  is  remarkably  stout  and  erect,  beais 
large  crops,  and  the  fruit  will  keep  a year ; quality  good  , 
very  profitable. 

118.  Russet^  Roxhury  or  Boston, — ^Medium  size  to  large, 
surface  rough,  greenish,  covered  with  russet,  flavor  indif- 
ferent; tree  vigorous,  spreading,  and  a great  bearer;  keeps 
tillJ  line.  Its  great  popularity  is  owing  to  its  productive- 
ness and  long-keeping. 

119.  Swaar, — Large,  pale  lemon  yellow,  with  dark  dots, 
flesh  tender,  rich  and  spicy;  tree  a moderate  grower, 
with  dark  shoots  and  large  grey  buds ; with  good  culture 
V#  is  one  of  the  very  best  of  apples. — November  to  May 


296 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


120.  SeeI<yno-further  (Westfield). — Medium  to  large, 
striped  with  dull  red,  and  slightly  russeted ; flesh  tender, 
rich  and  excellent;  tree  a good  grower  and  bearer,  and 
fruit  always  fair. — November  to  February. 

121.  SpitzenhurgTi  Esopus. — Large,  deep  red,  with  grey 
spots,  and  delicately  coated  with  bloom,  flesh  yellow,, 
crisp,  rich  and  excellent ; tree  rather  a feeble,  slow,  spread- 
ing grower,  and  moderate  bearer ; esteemed  in  this  State 
.as  one  of  the  very  best. — November  to  April. 

Sjoitzenhurgh  Newtown, — From  the  little  village  of  New- 
town, Long  Island ; a handsome,  round,  dark  red  apple, 
marked  with  brown  dots;  flesh  yellow,  firm,  mild  and 
pleasant. — November  to  February.  This  was  exhibited 
as  “ Vandervere”  in  nearly  all  the  w^estern  collections  at 
the  Cincinnati  Convention. 

123.  Tollman  Sweeting, — Medium  size,  pale  whitish 
yellow,  slightly  tinged  with  red ; flesh  firm,  rich  and  very 
sweet ; excellent  for  cooking ; tree  vigorous,  upright  and 
very  productive. — November  to  April. 

124.  Twenty  Ounce  (Cayuga  Red  Streak). — A very 
large,  showy,  striped  apple,  of  fair  quality ; tree  an  upright, 
compact  grower,  and  fine  bearer ; excellent  for  baking, 
and  of  pleasant  flavor,  though  not  rich  ; one  of  the  best 
very  large  apples,  and  popular  in  the  markets. — Octobei 
to  January. 

125.  TewTcshury  Winter  Blush, — Small,  yellow  with  a 
red  cheek,  flesh  Arm,  juicy,  and  fine  flavored ; a remark- 
ably  long  keeper ; tree  a rapid,  erect  grower ; suits  the 
south  best,  as  it  requires  a long  season  to  manure  it ; origin, 
New  Jersey. — January  to  July. 

126.  Vandevere, — Medium  size,  yellow,  striped  with 
red,  and  becoming  deep  crimson  next  the  sun,  flesh  yel- 
low, rich  and  flne;  tree  a fair  grower  and  good  bearer; 
succeeds  best  on  light,  warm,  dry  soils. — October  to  March. 

127.  Wagener, — Medium  to  large  size,  deep  red  in  the 


APPLES. 


297 


sun;  flesh  Arm,  snb-acid  and  excellent;  tree  very  produc- 
tive. A new  and  excellent  variety,  recently  introduced 
from  Penn  Yan,  Yates  County,  New  York. — December 
to  May. 

128.  Winter  Pear7nain, — Medium  size,  dull  red  stripes, 
on  a yellowish  ground,  flesh  tender,  pleasant  and  aro- 
matic ; a moderate  grower  and  bearer,  best  un  warm  soil. 
— November  and  March. 

129.  Willow  Twig, — A western  variety,  particularly 
valuable  for  its  productiveness  and  long  keeping ; shoots 
very  slender,  hence  its  name. 

130.  Wells^  Sweeting, — A fine  early  winter  sweet  apple, 
from  Newburgh,  New  York.  Medium  size,  roundish, 
green,  flesh  tender,  sprightly  and  rich.  Tree  a stout,  up- 
right grower  and  good  bearer. — November  to  January. 

131.  Wine  Sap, — Medium  size,  roundish,  slightly  coni- 
cal, deep  red;  flesh  very  firm  and  crisp,  with  a sub-acid 
flavor.  Tree  very  productive  ; fine  for  cider,  for  wh^ch  it 
has  been  extensively  grown. — November  to  April. 

132.  Wine  Apple  (Hay’s  Winter). — Large,  roundish, 
slightly  flattened,  yellow  striped,  and  clouded  with  bright 
red  ; flesh  yellow,  juicy,  crisp  and  pleasant.  A native  of 
Delaware ; succeeds  well  in  many  parts  of  the  country. 

133.  White  Winter  Calmlle, — This  is  a celebrated 
French  apple,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  dessert  varieties  to 
be  found  in  their  markets  at  the  present  day.  It  is  large, 
flat,  ribbed,  pale  yellow,  with  a bright  red  cheek ; flavor 
pleasant  but  not  rich.  Succeeds  well  in  Canada. — No- 
vember to  March. 

SMALL  SELECT  LISTS  OF  APPLES. 

For  Western  New  York  the  following  are  ^^unimpeach- 
able 

Nos.  1,  2,  4,  8,  9,  10,  14,  15,  23,  29,  38,  41,  44,  45,  47. 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUTIS. 


2t)S 

55,  72,  73,  76,  81,  83,  84,  87,  93,  97,  101, 105,  109,  113, 
114,  119,  121,  127. 

Twenty  Choice  Garden  Varieties » — 2,  9,  10, 15,  23,  29, 
38,  41,  47,  50,  55,  84,  93,  97,  101, 105, 113, 119, 121, 127. 

Twenty  very  large  and  beautiful  sorts  for  Dwarfs, — 2, 
4,  23,  31,  35,  38,  27,  28,  41,  44,  45,  51,  59,  72,  73,  83,  101, 
109,  127,  133. 

Varieties  that  succeed  well  in  the  south  and  west.— 
1,  2,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  11,  12,  15,  23,  33,  38,  41,  47,  51,  61, 
76,  79,  80,  82,  84,  86,  95,  102,  103,  107,  108,  109,  110, 
111,  114,  116,  118,  126,  129,  132. 

The  Western  Horticultural  Review”  suggests  the  fol- 
lowing for  an  orchard  of  one  thousand  trees  at  St.  Louis. 

Two  hundred  Eawle’s  Jannet ; two  hundred  Pryor’s  Red  ; 
two  hundred  Newtown  pippin  ; fifty  golden  russet  (Ame- 
rican, no  doubt) ; thirty-five  Newton  Spitzenburgh  ; fifteen 
fall  pippin ; twenty-five  each,  yellow  and  white  belb 
flow^,  early  strawberry,  early  harvest,  Benoni,  Williams’ 
favorite,  Bohanan,  and  Gravenstein,  Cooper,  Rome  Beauty, 
Eambo,  Belmont,  and  Fameuse;  one  hundred  Carthouse 
or  Gilpin,  Michael  Henry  and  Smith’s  Cider  ; fifty  ‘‘  any 
others  not  rejected.” 

Samuel  Walker,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Massachusetts 
Horticultural  Society,  one  of  the  most  experienced  and 
critical  judges  of  fruits  in  America,  gives,  in  ‘‘  Hovey’s 
Magazine,  vol.  xv.,  1849,  the  following  list  as  being  the 
best-suited  to  the  meridian  of  New  England,  ranked  ac- 
cording to  merit  thus : Nos.  114,  41,  72,  8 or  9,  113,  54, 
99,  123,  4,  118,  81,  54,  88,  38,  84,  1,  3,  2,  39,  27,  94,  91, 


PEARS. 


299 


Spxjtion  2. — Select  Pears. 

CLASS  I. SUMMER  PEARS, 

1.  Amire  Joannet  (St.  John’s). — Retained  only  on  ac- 
count of  its  earliness,  and  not  recommended  for  small 
collections ; the  tree  is  a fine  grower  on  both  pear  and 
quince,  and  a profuse  bearer ; fruit  small,  pale  yellow, 
and  sweet,  soon  mealy, — ^Twentieth  to  last  of  July.  For- 
eign. 

2.  Beau  Present  d? Artois, — A good,  juicy,  half  melt- 
ing pear,  medium  size  ; tree  very  vigorous  and  productive 
on  the  quince. — September.  Foreign. 

3.  Blmdgood, — An  American  pear  of  the  first  quality; 
medium  size,  buttery,  melting,  and  rich ; tree  is  a fair 
grower ; succeeds  well,  and  makes  a fine  pyramid  on  the 
quince. — August. 

4.  Bartlett  (William’s  Bonchretien). — One  of  the  most 
popular  pears ; large,  buttery,  and  melting,  with  a rich 
musky  flavor  ; tree  a fair,  erect  grower ; bears  young  and 
abundantly,  both  on  pear  and  quince  ; the  fruit  ripens 
perfectly  in  the  house,  if  gathered  even  two  or  three 
weeks  before  its  time  of  ripening ; this  prolongs  its  sea- 
son.— Last  of  September. 

5.  Canandaigua, — So  named  by  the  Congress  Fruit 
Growers,  in  1849  ; previously  called  “ Catharine^  It  is, 
in  appearance,  very  similar  to  the  Bartlett,  nearly  as 
large  and  as  good ; melting  and  fine  flavored  ; tree  is  an 
upright,  vigorous  grower  on  both  pear  and  quince,  and 
very  productive.  In  season  middle  of  September. 

6.  DearhorrCs  Seedling, — Rather  below  medium  size, 
pale  yellow,  melting  and  delicious ; tree  a rapid,  fine 
grower,  both  on  pear  und  quince,  and  bears  young  and 
profusely  ; one  of  the  very  best  early  summer  pears,  ripe 


soo 


SELECT  VAKIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


immediately  after  the  Bloodgood. — About  the  last  of 
August. 

7.  Doyenne  ^lEte  (Summer  Doyenne). — A beautiful 
little  melting  sweet  pear  ; tree  a fine  grower  and  bearer, 
and  succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — August. 

8.  Edwavd?s  Henrietta, — A medium-sized,  greenish 
pear,  melting,  juicy,  and  sprightly;  tree  very  productive; 
originated  at  New  Haven,  Conn. — September.  Not  much 
disseminated. 

9.  Jargonelle,^  English, — A good  old  variety,  large 
size,  fiesh  rather  coarse,  but  juicy  and  pleasant ; should 
be  ripened  in  the  house.  The  tree  is  a very  strong 
grower,  with  purplish  spreading  shoots,  and  large  foliage 
and  fiowers.  It  makes  a fine  prolific  pyramid  on  the 
quince,  but  is  not  recommended  for  small  collections. — 
Beginning  of  August, 

10.  LeecEs  Kingsessioig,—;;;^  new  pear  recently  intro- 
duced by  Dr.  Brinkle,  of  Philadelphia.  It  is  described 
as  being  large,  of  a sea-green”  color,  and  rich,  buttery, 
and  delicately  flavored ;”  ripe  last  of  August.  It  proves 
with  us  a strong  grower,  and  will  make  a handsome  pyra- 
mid on  the  quince. 

11.  Madeleine, — ^This  is  the  earliest  good  pear  we  have ; 
size  medium,  flesh  melting,  sweet  and  delicate ; tree  a fair 
grower,  and  good,  early  bearer  on  both  pear  and  quince. 

12.  Striped  Madeleine — is  a variety,  with  wood  and 
fruit  striped  with  green,  yellow  and  red,  of  same  quality 
and  season  as  the  preceding. 

13.  Muscadine, — Medium  size,  melting,  musky  flavored 
and  good.  The  tree  has  vigorous  dark  shoots,  similar  to 
Jargonelle ; does  not  appear  to  succeed  well  on  the 
quince. — Early  in  September. 

14.  Moyamensing  (Smith’s). — Originated  in  Philadel- 
phia ; large  size,  buttery,  melting,  and  fine  flavored ; 
decays  very  soon  after  ripening ; tree  is  a fair  grower  on 


PEARS. 


301 


both  pear  and  quince ; ripens  at  Philadelphia  from  the 
middle  of  July  till  August;  north  proportionably  later. 

15.  Muscat  Bohert  —A  small,  pale  yellow,  half-melting 
fruit,  very  juicy  and  sweet ; tree  hardy,  productive,  and 
vigorous,  leaves  large  and  flat,  shoots  quite  yellowish; 
bears  abundant  crops  on  the  quince ; not  so  good  as 
Madeleine  or  Bloodgood. 

16.  Otfs  Seedling, — A small,  yellow,  delicious,  high 
flavored  pear ; originated  near  Philadelphia,  and  brought 
to  notice  by  Dr.  Brinkle,  who  considers  it  nearly  as  good 
as  the  Seckel. — August  and  September. 

17.  Osband'^s  Summer, — A medium  sized,  excellent 
fruit,  half-melting,  mild,  and  pleasant  flavored ; tree  a 
fair,  erect  grower,  on  both  pear  and  quince,  and  very  pro- 
ductive ; ripens  here  early  part  of  August ; origin,  Wayne 
county,  N.  Y. ; recently  introduced. 

18.  Rousselet  Stuttgart, — Medium  size  or  rather  small, 
greenish  brown,  half-melting,  juicy,  and  flue  flavored; 
tree  a fine  grower,  and  very  productive  on  both  pear  and 
quince.  German. — August  and  September. 

19.  Bostiezer, — Medium  size,  yellowish  green,  with  a 
brown  cheek ; flesh  juicy,  sweet,  and  high  flavored ; the 
tree  is  vigorous,  with  dark-colored  shoots  ; succeeds  well 
on  the  quince  ; of  German  origin,  and  not  long  introduced 
here,  but  so  far  has  proved  first-rate  in  its  season. — First 
of  Sej)tember. 

20.  Summer  Franc  Beal, — Medium  size,  juicy,  melting, 
and  rich ; tree  very  hardy,  and  a stout,  fine  grower  and 
good  bearer  on  both  pear  and  quince ; makes  a beautiful 
pyramid ; foliage  and  young  shoots  look  mealy,  being 
covered  with  a light  down  ; fruit  should  always  be  ripened 
in  the  house. — End  of  August  and  beginning  of  Sep- 
tember. 

21.  Skinless  (Sanspeau  of  the  French). — Rather  smaP 
pyriform,  pale  yellow,  with  a tinge  of  red  on  the  sunny 


302 


SELECT  VARIE^HES  OF  FRUITS. 


side;  melting,  juicy  and  sweet;  tree  a rapid,  erect 
grower,  and  very  productive. — ^August. 

22.  Tyson, — Rather  above  medium  size,  melting,  juicy, 
sweet,  and  fine  fiavored ; tree  very  vigorous  and  rapid 
grower,  both  on  quince  and  pear  ; one  of  the  finest  summer 
varieties ; origin,  Jenkintown,  Pa. — September. 

CLASS  n. ^AUTUMN  PEARS. 

23.  Andrm)s  (Amory  or  Gibson). — Rather  above  me- 
dium size,  pyramidal,  yellow,  with  a dull  red  cheek  ; juicy, 
melting,  and  good  ; tree  a fair  grower,  and  a good  bearer ; 
very  popular  in  Boston.  September  and  October.  Native 
of  Dorchester,  Mass. 

24.  Bleeker'^s  Meadow. — Medium  size,  round,  half-melt- 
ing ; second  rate ; but  the  tree  is  exceeding  hardy  and 
vigorous,  and  bears  enormous  crops ; fine  for  stewing,  etc. 
— October. 

25.  Buffum. — Yery  similar  to  the  White  Doyenne,  and 
nearly  as  good ; buttery,  sweet,  and  fine  flavored  ; tree  a 
remarkably  vigorous,  upright  grower,  with,  light  reddish 
brovm  shoots  ; succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — Last  of  Sep- 
tember. 

26.  Beurre.^  Brown. — A very  fine  old  fruit ; not  well 
spoken  of  in  New  England,  but  does  well  in  this  State ; 
fruit  medium  size  to  large,  melting,  very  juicy,  with  a 
sprightly  vinous  flavor.  It  is  rather  a tardy  bearer  and 
poor  grower  on  the  pear,  but  on  the  quince  it  grows  well 
and  makes  a fine  prolific  pyramid.  It  is  inclined  to  over- 
bear, and  should  be  pruned  close,  to  maintain  its  vigor. 

27.  Beurre.^  Bose. — A large  and  beautiful  pear,  melting 
or  nearly  so,  high  flavored  and  delicious  ; a good  grower 
on  pear,  but  does  not  succeed  on  the  quince,  except  double 
Worked. — September  and  October. 

28.  Beurre  d'Amalis  Panache, — In  quality  similar  to 


PEARS. 


303 


Number  37,  but  the  wood  and  fruit  curiously  striped 
with  red  and  yellow,  like  the  striped  Madeleine  and 
Doyenne. 

29.  Bexirre  Anjou. — A large  fine  pear,  buttery  and 
melting,  with  sprightly  vinous  fiavor ; tree  a fine  grower 
on  both  pear  and  quince. — October  and  November.  For 
eign ; first  imported  by  Col.  Wilder. 

30.  Beurre  Capiaumont. — Medium  size,  yellow,  with  a 
red  cheek ; melting,  sweet,  and  rich,  but  somewhat  vari- 
able ; a good  grower  and  abundant  bearer ; makes  a 
beautiful  productive  pyramid  on  the  quince. — October. 

31.  Beurre  DieL—OnQ  of  the  largest  pears,  buttery, 
rich,  and  fine ; sometimes  gritty  at  the  core  on  pear  stock ; 
invariably  first-rate  on  the  quince ; growth  very  strong 
and  rapid,  with  large  roundish  leaves. — October  and  No- 
vember ; and  if  picked  early  and  ripened  gradually  in  the 
house,  may  be  kept  to  December. 

32.  Beurre.^  Golden  of  Bilhoa, — A large  and  beautiful 
pear  of  the  first  quality,  buttery  and  melting,  with  a rich 
sjDrightly  flavor ; a strong,  upright,  handsome  grower ; 
succeeds  particularly  well  on  the  quince. — September  and 
October. 

33.  Bergamotte  Cadette  (Beurre  Beauchamps). — A me- 
dium size,  oval,  melting  rich  pear ; tree  a fine  grower,  and 
very  prolific  both  on  pear  and  quince ; makes  a fine  pyra- 
mid.— Ripe  in  November,  and  keeps  well  till  December. 

34.  Bergamot  Gansels. — Medium  to  large  size,  round- 
ish, skin  rough,  brown;  fiesh  melting,  juicy,  rich,  and 
high  fiavored  ; rather  a poor  grower,  with  slender  spread- 
ing branches  and  gray  leaves ; a tardy  bearer,  does  not 
succeed  on  the  quince. — October. 

35.  Bezi  de  Montigny, — A very  fair,  medium  sized 
fruit,  melting  and  sweet,  with  a pleasant,  musky  fiavor ; 
verv  vigorous  and  productive ; makes  a fine  fruitful  pyra- 


804 


SEI.ECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


mid  on  the  quince,  nearly  as  good  as  White  Doyenne.— 
October. 

36.  Belle  Lucrative  (Fondante  d’Automne). — Medium 
size,  melting  and  delicious ; a fair,  upright  grower ; makes 
a beautiful  pyramid  on  the  quince,  and  bears  early  and 
abundantly  ; first  quality  in  all  respects. — September  and 
October. 

37.  Beurre  diAmalis, — A large,  melting,  fine  pear, 
resembling  the  Brown  Beurre,  and  with  the  same  high 
vinous  fiavor  ; a strong  grower,  and  most  abundant  bearer 
on  the  quince.— September  and  October. 

38.  Comte  de  Lamy. — A medium-sized,  melting,  fine 
flavored  fruit ; a good  grower ; makes  a fine  pyramid  on 
the  quince. — October. 

39.  Cushing. — Medium  size,  oblong,  pale  green,  brown- 
ish next  the  sun  ; juicy,  melting,  and  delicious  ; tree  very 
productive  ; one  of  the  very  best  Massachusetts  varieties. 
— September. 

40.  Dunmore  (Knight’s). — A large,  fine  pear,  with  a 
sprightly  sub-acid  fiavor  like  the  Brown  Beurre  ; rather 
variable ; sometimes  first-rate — September. 

41.  Dix. — A large,  fine  pear,  melting,  juicy,  and  rich; 
a fair  grower  ; slender,  yellowisli  shoots  ; succeeds  on  the 
quince  double  worked,  but  not  otherwise. — October.  Ori- 
gin, Boston. 

42  Duchesse  d'^ Angouleme. — The  largest  of  all  our 
good  pears  ; it  attains  its  highest  perfection  on  the  quince, 
and  is  a beautiful,  vigorous  tree  ; profitable  for  market. — 
October  and  November. 

43.  Duchesse  dDrleans. — A new,  large,  and  delicious 
pear,  with  the  flavor  of  Gansell’s  Bergamot succeeds 
well  on  the  quince,  and  bears  quite  young ; has  proved 
fine  at  Boston,  but  not  so  good  with  us. — October. 

44.  Doyenne  Boussoch. — A new,  large,  delicious  pear. 


PEAKS. 


306 


rike  a very  large  White  Doyenne ; tree  a strong,  rapid 
grower ; succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — October. 

45.  Doyenne  White,— K well  known  and  universally 
esteemed  variety  of  the  highest  excellence  ; growing  and 
bearing  equally  well  on  both  pear  and  quince ; young 
trees  on  the  quince  are  inclined  to  bear  too  much,  on  this 
account  the  fruit  requires  thinning,  and  the  tree  pretty 
close  pruning,  to  keep  up  a vigorous  growth. — October  and 
November. 

46.  Doyenne  Similar  in  quality  to  the  preced- 

ing ; fruit  of  a reddish  russet  color ; tree  not  quite  so 
strong  a grower. 

47.  Doyenne  Panache  (Striped  Doyenne). — Similar  in 
character  to  the  White;  wood  and  fruit  are  curiously 
striped. 

48.  Excellentissima, — A very  beautiful  and  excellent 
new  Belgian  variety,  as  large  as  the  Bartlett ; oblong, 
pyriform,  yellow,  with  a tinge  of  red  in  the  sun ; buttery, 
melting,  and  rich. — October.  It  must  become  a most 
popular  variety. 

49.  For  die  or  Trout  Pear, — A beautiful  German  pear, 
finely  speckled,  buttery,  melting  and  rich ; succeeds  well 
on  the  quince ; bears  early  and  profusely. — November. 

50.  Flemish  Beauty, — A large,  beautiful,  melting,  rich 
pear;  tree  vigorous  and  fruitful :* has  not  succeeded  well 
on  the  quince  with  us  yet. — September  and  October. 

51.  Frederich  of  Wurtemherg, — A large  and  beautiful 
pear,  sometimes  first-rate,  and  often  insipid ; a vigorous 
grower  both  on  pear  and  quince,  and  an  early  good  bearer. 
— September. 

52.  Fulton, — A native  pear,  round  and  russety,  melt- 
ing, rich  and  excellent,  hardy  and  vigorous;  succeeds 
well  in  the  north  where  many  others  are  tender. — October 
and  November. 

53.  /F".  (We  have  sent  out  some  trees  of  this 


306 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


variety,  imported  as  Ananas”). — A medium  sized,  melt- 
ing, delicious  pear,  of  a dull  greenish  color ; a free  stout 
grower,  and  a most  profuse  bearer ; succeeds  well  on  the 
quince ; should  be  ripened  in  the  house. — September. 

54.  Heatheote, — A buttery,  melting,  fine-flavored  pear, 
about  the  size  of  White  Doyenne,  hardy  and  productive. 
— September.  Originated  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston. 

65.  Howell, — A very  good  and  very  handsome  variety, 
originated  at  New  Haven,  Conn.  Large  or  medium,  obo- 
vate,  inclining  to  pyramidal,  lemon  yellow  tinged,  with 
red  in  the  sun;  melting,  juicy  and  vinous,  rather  coarse 
Tree  vigorous,  branches  rather  spreading  and  drooping. — 
September  and  October. 

56.  Hanners  (Hannas). — A native  of  Boston  or  vicinity ; 
of  medium  size,  resembling  the  Cushing,  with  somewhat 
the  flavor  of  White  Doyenne. — September. 

57.  Henkel, — Medium  size,  roundish  obovate,  yellow, 
slightly  russeted ; buttery,  melting  and  fine.  One  of  the 
very  best  Belgian  varieties. — November  and  December. 

58.  Hacon’s  Incomjparahle, — A very  large  round  pear, 
buttery,  melting  and  rich.  Trees  spreading  and  very  pro- 
ductive. One  of  the  finest  English  varieties,  but  a little 
variable  in  this  country. — October. 

59.  Ha/rvard, — A very  popular  and  profitable  market 
fruit  around  Boston ; large,  oblong,  russety,  melting  and 
juicy;  should  be  house  ripened.  The  tree  is  vigorous  and 
upright ; a tardy  but  very  abundant  bearer. — September. 

60.  JoJionnot, — Medium  size,  roundish  obovate,  green- 
ish yellow,  slightly  russeted,  rather  coarse  but  melting, 
rich  and  musky.  The  tree  is  a good  grower,  succeeds 
well  on  the  quince.  Originated  in  Salem,  Mass. 

. 61.  KnigMs  Seedling, — Originated  in  Rhode  Island. 
Large,  melting,  sweet  and  good ; should  be  gathered  before 
ri})e ; tree  a good  grower. — ^September  to  October. 

62.  Lauise  Bonne  de  Jersey, — One  of  the  finest  of  all 


PEAKS. 


307 


peal's,  large,  beautiful  and  delicious;  it  succeeds  well  both 
on  pear  and  quince,  but  on  the  latter,  especially,  it  is  aL 
that  can  be  desired. — September  and  October.  Foreign. 

(33.  Long  Green  (Verte  Longue). — Keally  long  and 
green,  juicy,  sweet  and  good;  a fine  strong  grower  and 
good  bearer  on  the  quince. — October.  Foreign. 

64.  Long  Green^  Striped  (Y erte  Longue  Panache). — A 
Tariety  of  the  preceding,  with  striped  wood  and  fruit,  but 
nferior  in  quality. 

65.  Las  Canos, — A fine  Belgian  variety,  first  fruited  by 
Mr.  Manning.  Medium  size,  pyriform,  yellow  and  slightly 
russeted,  juicy,  melting  and  fine. — October. 

66.  Lodge, — Medium  size,  brownish,  russety,  juicy, 
melting,  rich;  native  of  Philadelphia;  usually  first-rate, 
— September  and  October. 

67.  Marie  Louise. — A large  melting  pear  of  the  first 
quality ; the  tree  is  a straggling,  crooked  grower,  but 
hardy,  and  bears  young  and  abundantly ; does  not  succeed 
on  the  quince. 

68.  Napoleon. — A large,  juicy,  melting,  fine  fruit ; tree 
vigorous,  hardy  and  productive,  makes  a fine  pyramid  on 
the  quince;  bears  young,  ripens  in  November,  and  may 
be  kept  till  December.  Should  be  ripened  in  a warm 
room. 

69.  Onondaga, — See  Swan’s  Orange. 

70.  Oswego  Beurre. — An  excellent  new  pear,  from  Os- 
wego, New^  York,  medium  size,  melting,  with  a rich  vinous 
flavor.  Tree  very  hardy  and  productive ; makes  a beauti- 
ful pyramid  on  the  quince;  a most  valuable  pear;  ripens 
in  October  to  December. 

71.  Paradise  d'^Automne. — A large,  fine  melting  pear, 
of  the  first  quality ; resembles  Beurre  Bose  in  shape  and 
color. — October. 

72.  Pratt, — A native  of  Rhode  Island,  medium  size, 


5C8 


SELECT  VAEIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


melting,  buttery,  rich  and  good ; nearly  first  rate. — Sep 
tember  and  October. 

Y3.  Petre, — Native  of  Pennsylvania ; medium  size, 
obovate,  pale  yellow,  slightly  russeted,  buttery,  melting 
and  rich ; generally  first  rate. — September. 

74.  Pennsylvania, — Medium  to  large  size,  half  melting 
highly  esteemed  at  Philadelphia,  where  it  originated; 
does  not  prove  so  good  in  other  places.  Tree  a good 
grower,  both  on  pear  and  quince. — September. 

75.  Surpass  Virgoulouse  (or  Virgalieu).  A very  fine 
fruit,  nearly  equal  in  all  respects  to  the  White  Doyenne, 
introduced  by  the  late  Mr.  Parmentier,  of  Brooklyn. — 
October. 

76.  Seeled, — ^The  highest  flavored  pear  known;  consi- 
dered  as  the  standard  of  excellence ; a stout,  erect  grower, 
not  rapid,  a good  bearer ; grows  well  on  the  quince  with 
us. — September  and  October. 

77.  St,  Ghislain, — A medium  sized,  fine  melting  pear; 
tree  a rapid  and  beautiful  grower  and  good  bearer ; should 
be  ripened  in  the  house. — September. 

78.  Stevens'^  Genesee, — A large,  roundish,  buttery,  fine- 
flavored  pear,  vigorous  and  highly  productive ; succeeds 
well  on  both  pear  and  quince ; a native  of  Monroe  county, 
New  York. — September  and  October. 

79.  Swanks  Orange  (Onondaga). — A very  large,  melting, 
high-flavored  pear,  vigorous  and  extremely  productive, 
one  of  the  best  pears  of  its  size  and  season ; succeeds  well 
oh  the  quince. — October  and  November. 

80.  Urhaniste  (Beurre  Picquery  of  the  French). — A 
large,  melting,  buttery  pear,  a tardy  bearer  on  the  pear, 
but  succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — October  and  November. 

81.  Yan  Mens  Leon  Leclere, — A very  large  pear,  four 
and  a half  inches  in  length,  and  three  in  diameter,  of  an 
orange  color  at  maturity.  Tree  vigorous  and  productive, 
succeeds  well  on  tlie  quince,  and  bears  quite  young ; 


PEARS. 


309 


crackf^  a little  in  some  seasons,  and  should  have  a rich, 
warm  soil. — October  and  November. 

82.  W ibshington, — A medium  sized,  beautiful  pear,  sweet 
and  delicious ; a fine  grower  on  the  pear,  but  does  not 
succeed  on  the  quince. — Middle  of  September. 

83.  Wilkinson, — A very  hardy  and  productive  Rhode 
Island  variety  of  second  quality,  medium  size,  obovate, 
yellow,  melting,  sweet  and  rich.  Tree  tipright  and  vigo- 
rous.— October  to  November. 

84.  WiVouT, — Medium,  obovate,  greenish  and  russety; 
rather  coarse,  melting,  juicy  and  good.  Native. 

CLASS  m. ^W’lNTER  PEARS. 

85.  JBeurre  clAremberg, — One  of  the  finest  winter 
pears,  large,  melting,  rich,  vinous  fiavored,  ripens  well 
without  any  extra  care ; tree  vigorous  and  productive ; 
succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — December  to  January. 

86.  Beurre,^  Easter, — A very  large,  fine  melting  pear ; 
better  on  the  quince  than  on  the  pear ; keeps  till  spring. 

87.  Beurre  Gris  dBliver  Nouveau, — A large,  new, 
melting,  buttery  pear,  of  the  highest  quality,  fiavor  rich 

'^and  vinous,  like  the  brown  Beurre,  but  milder ; tree  suc- 
ceeds well  on  the  quince,  bearing  quite  young. — ^Novem- 
ber and  December,  and  maybe  kept  till  January. 

88.  Beurre  Ranee, — A fine,  melting,  rich  pear,  keep- 
ing till  spring  ; tree  a poor  grower. 

89.  GJiaumontel  (English). — A large,  fine,  buttery, 
melting,  rich  pear ; should  have  a warm  soil  and  situa- 
tion ; succeeds  well  on  the  quince.— December. 

90.  Columbia, — A large,  handsome,  native  pear,  melt- 
ing, buttery  and  rich  ; tree  vigorous  and  remarkably  pro- 
ductive ; grows  well  on  the  quince  with  us. — ^November 
and  January. 

91.  Doyenne  d? Hiver  Nouveau  or  WAlen^on, — A large 


810 


fiELECT  VAEIETIES  OF  FRIJITS. 


and  very  fine  late-keeping  variety  received  from  France  j 
golden  yellow,  with  a brown  tinge  in  the  sun,  melting, 
buttery  and  rich  ; tree  upright  and  vigorous,  and  very  pro- 
ductive on  the  quince ; have  had  it  very  fine  on  the  1st 
of  March,  ripened  in  the  cellar ; will  prove  very  valu- 
able. 

92.  Glout  Morceau, — A large,  melting,  buttery,  sweet 
pear ; tree  vigorous  and  productive ; like  the  Duchesse 
d’Angouleme,  Louise  Bonne,  and  some  others,  it  is  de- 
cidedly superior  on  the  quince,  and  makes  a beautiful 
pyramid. — December. 

93.  Josephine  de  Malines. — A new  Flemish  winter  pear, 
pronounced  both  in  France  and  England  to  be  the  finest 
winter  variety ; medium  in  size,  melting  and  rich  ; the 
tree  is  a moderate  grower,  with  quite  small  leaves ; it 
appears  to  succeed  well  on  the  quince ; keeps  till  spring. 

94.  Lawrence, — A fine,  large,  melting,  rich  flavored 
pear,  a native  of  Long  Island ; tree  a fair  grower  on  both 
pear  and  quince ; a regular  and  abundant  bearer. — ^No- 
vember to  February.  Ripens  well  in  the  cellar. 

95.  Passe  Colmar, — Large,  buttery,  and  rich;  tree  a 
fine,  free  grower  on  both  pear  and  quince ; so  disposed  to 
over-fruitfulness  that  thinning  is  quite  necessary  to  obtain 
fine  fruit. — December. 

96.  Sieulle  (Doyenne  Sieulle). — A.  large,  roundish,  melt- 
ing pear,  that  keeps  till  January;  tree  vigorous  and  up- 
right ; succeeds  remarkably  well  on  the  quince. 

97.  St,  Germam,^  Princess, — A medium  sized,  juicy, 
fine  fiavored  fruit ; ripens  in  the  cellar,  like  an  apple 
through  the  winter ; a moderate  grower  and  good  bearer. 
— ^March. 

98.  St,  Germonn, — ^An  old  variety,  large,  melting,  and 
sweet ; succeeds  well  on  the  quince ; bears  young  and 
abundantly. — December  to  January. 

99.  Vicar  of  Winhfield  or  Monmeur  Le  Curi, — A 


PEARS. 


311 


large,  long  pear,  fair  and  handsome,  of  good,  but  not  first- 
rate  quality ; tree  a most  vigorous  grower  on  both  pear 
and  quince,  and  on  the  latter  makes  a beautiful  and  pro- 
ductive pyramid;  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  all  late 
pears. — November  to  January.  Eipens  well  in  the  cellar 

100.  Winter  Nelis  (Bonne  de  Maline  and  Beurre  de 
Maline,  of  some  French  catalogues). — One  of  the  best  of 
early  wdnter  pears,  medium  size,  melting  and  buttery, 
with  a rich,  sprightly  flavor ; tree  is  rather  slender,  strag- 
gling growth. — November  and  January. 

CLASS  IV. SELECT  BAKESTG  AND  STEWING  PEARS. 

101.  Boncliretien  (Flemish). — Medium  to  large  size ; 
tree  vigorous,  spreading,  and  irregular,  and  bears  great 
crops  ; keeps  through  winter. 

102.  Boncliretien  (Spanish). — Medium  to  large,  pyri 
form,  tapering  to  the  stalk,  yellow  with  a red  cheek  ; 
cooks  well. — ^December  and  January. 

103.  Oattillac, — Y ery  large,  roundish,  bears  quite  young 
and  abundantly  on  the  quince ; keeps  all  winter. 

104.  Chajptal, — Yery  large,  somewhat  resembling 
Duchesse  d’Angouleme  ; keeps  till  spring ; cooks  finely, 
and  is  sometimes  tolerable  for  eating ; tree  vigorous ; 
bears  very  young  on  the  quince. 

105.  Easter  Bergamot, — Medium  size,  rough,  greenish ; 
keeps  well,  and  cooks  finely  ; trees  remarkably  vigorous, 
erect,  and  fruitful ; bears  quite  young  on  the  quince. 

106.  Pound  (Angora,  Uvedale’s  St.  Germain). — Mon- 
strous size;  often  weighs  two  pounds ; stews  well;  tender, 
and  of  a rich  crimson  color ; trees  vigorous,  and  very  pro- 
ductive ; liable  to  be  blown  off  standard  trees ; succeeds 
well  on  the  quince,  and  bears  young;  keeps  all  winter. 


312 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


SELECT  ASSORTMENTS  OF  PEARS. 

Profitahle  varieties  for  marhet  orchards, — ^Nos.  4,  31, 
42,  45,  46,  60,  62,  78,  85,  86,  94,  99,  106. 

Ten  very  hardy  prolific  sorts, — Nos.  20,  24,  25,  52,  59, 
70,  94,  97,  99,  106. 

The  great  market  pear  of  Western  New  York,  is  the 
White  Doyenne  or  Yirgalieu,  No  better  can  be  desired 
of  the  season ; for  summer  tlie  Bartlett,  The  Windsor 
or  Summer  Belle,^  and  the  Summer  Boncliretien,^  are  both 
veiy  profitable  pears,  at  present  brought  into  our  markets 
in  large  quantities.  Neither  of  them  is  described,  be 
cause  it  is  not  desirable  to  extend  their  cultivation  whilst 
we  have  the  Bartlett, 

Twenty-five  fine  varieties  for  the  garden,^  on  quince 
stocTcs,—^o^,  3,  4,  6, 19,  22,  31,  32,  33,  36,  37,  42,45,  46, 
53,  62,  68,  76,  78,  79,  -85,  86,  87,  92,  99,  106. 

Any  or  all  of  these  may  be  chosen  without  running 
any  risk  of  a failure. 

First-rate  sorts  for  pear  stochs,^  or  to  he  double  worJced 
on  the  quince, — Nos.  27,  34,  41,  50,  67,  71. 

NEW  AND  RARE  PEARS,  RECENTLY  INTRODUCED,  THAT  GIVE 
PROMISE  OF  EXCELLENCE. 

THOSE  THAT  HAVE  BEEN  PROVED  TO  SUCCEED  ON  THE  QUINCE  ARE 
DESIGNATED  BY  A (q)  . 

107.  Adele  de  St,  Denis, — New  Belgian,  medium  size, 
very  handsome,  russety,  melting,  vinous,  and  perfumed. — 
October. 

108.  Arch  Due  Cha/rles. — ^Medium  size,  melting  ; tree  a 
vigorous,  fine  grower,  both  on  pear  and  quince. — Octobei. 

109.  Alpha  (New  Belgian). — Medium  size,  greenish 
yellow,  buttery  and  fine;  highly  recommended  by  Mi. 
Manning. — October. 


PEARS. 


313 


110.  Arhre  Courie  or  Amiral  (Y an  Mons). — Medium 
to  large,  melting  and  delicious ; branches  irregular  and 
crooked. — September. 

111.  Belle  et  Bonne  des  Zees  or  Bonne  des  Zees. — A new, 
large,  and  fine  Belgian  variety,  ripening  immediately 
after  the  Bartlett ; obovate,  yellow,  red  next  the  sun ; 
melting  and  perfumed. 

112.  Brandywine. — Eecently  introduced  by  Dr.  Brin- 
kle,  of  Philadelphia ; originated  in  that  vicinity ; ripens 
same  season  as  the  Bartlett ; obovate,  yellow,  and  slightly 
russeted  ; melting,  sweet,  and  perfumed. — September. 

113.  Beurre  Benoist. — Large,  obovate,  yellow  with  a 
red  cheek  ; melting,  juicy,  and  sweet. — October.  From 
FraL'ce  recently  ; found  in  a hedge. 

114.  Beurre  Bretonneau  (Esperin,  Belgium). — Medium 
to  large,  oval,  slightly  pyramidal ; half  melting ; tree 
vigorous  and  productive  ; keeps  till  April  or  May. 

115.  Beurre  Clairgeau. — A new  French  variety,  de- 
scribed to  us  as  being  as  large  as  Duchesse  d’Angouleme, 
and  of  excellent  quality. — October  and  November. 

116.  Bezi  Sans  Pareil. — A new  winter  variety  from 
*^rance  ; large,  greenish,  half  melting. — February. 

117.  Beurre  Curtet  (Bouvier). — Medium  size,  melting, 
and  fine  (q). — October.  French. 

118.  Beurre  Davis. — Large,  melting,  productive  (q). — 
October.  French. 

119.  Beurre  Dvwal. — Large,  melting ; tree  vigorous 
and  productive  (q). — October  and  November.  French. 

120.  Beu/rre  Giffard  or  Giffart. — Medium  size,  melt- 
ing ; tree  has  erect,  slender  branches ; productive ; one 
of  the  best  new,  early  varieties  (q). — ^August.  French. 

121.  Beurre  Gouhault. — Medium  size,  roundish,  half 
melting ; tree  vigorous  and  very  prolific ; bears  quite 
young  (q) ; new. — September.  Angers,  France. 

122.  Beurre  Movre. — Medium  size,  melting  ; tree  vigo- 

14 


314 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


rous  and  productive  (q). — September  and  October. 
French. 

123.  Beurre  Superfine, — Medium  size,  melting,  very 
productive ; new  (q). — October.  French. 

124.  Beurre  St.  Nicholas, — Large,  green,  and  russet, 
melting,  a little  coarse,  juicy,  and  high  flavored. — Sep 
tember  and  October.  French. 

125.  Beurre  Ha/rdy. — A new  variety  introduced  by 
Jamin,  of  Paris  ; large,  melting,  and  good  ; tree  a vigorous 
and  beautiful  grower  on  the  quince. — October. 

126.  Beurre  de  Waterloo. — Medium,  obovate  pyriform, 
greenish  yellow,  with  a blush  next  the  sun  ; flesh  buttery, 
melting,  and  high  flavored  ; received  from  France  in  1843 ; 
was  the  best  pear  we  tasted  in  1850  ; ripe  latter  end  of 
October. 

127.  Beurre  Langelier. — A splendid  new  variety,  intro- 
duced by  Mr.  Langelier  of  the  isle  of  Jersey.  Mr.  Llovey, 
who  has  had  it  bear,  gives  it  the  highest  character,  and  thinks 
it  will  prove  one  of  the  flnest  winter  varieties  from  abroad. 
Large,  greenish,  with  a shade  of  red  in  the  sun  ; melting, 
juicy,  and  vinous  ; tree  a beautiful  grower,  with  large, 
shining  foliage ; succeeds  flnely  on  the  quince. — Decem- 
ber and  J anuary. 

128.  Brandes  St.  Germain  (Y an  Mons). — Medium, 
pyriform,  oblong,  green  and  russet,  melting,  sugary,  and 
rich ; tree  vigorous,  shoots  slender  and  spreading. — De- 
cember to  March.  Will  prove  a valuable  winter  variety; 
first  introduced  by  Mr.  Manning. 

129.  BroomparTc  (Knight’s)  English.  — Medium,  round- 
ish, of  a beautiful  cinnamon  russet,  melting  and  juicy, 

partaking  of  the  flavor  of  a melon  and  pine-apole.” — 
J anuary. 

130.  Bv/rlinghame. — A seedling  raised  in  Marietta, 
Ohio ; medium  size,  very  productive,  melting,  and  good. 
— July  and  August. 


PEARS. 


315 


131.  Colmo/r  MusquL — Medium  size,  turbinate,  golden 
yellow,  texture  and  flavor  of  Bartlett ; ripe  in  October ; 
a most  delicious  variety ; bears  young  and  abundantly ; 
received  from  France  in  1848. 

132.  Cabot  (Massachusetts). — Medium  size,  buttery  and 
Bweet,  very  productive. — September  and  October. 

133.  Catinka  (Esperin). — Large,  melting,  and  excel- 
lent ; new  ; said  to  be  in  eating  for  flve  or  six  weeks  (q). 

134.  Colmar  Bonnet  (Van  Mons). — Medium  size,  melt- 
ing and  sugary  (q). — September  and  October. 

135.  Colmar  d^Aremberg. — Very  large,  of  second  qua- 
lity ; tree  very  vigorous  and  productive  (q). — October  and 
November. 

136.  Commodore. — Medium  size,  buttery,  and  sweet. — 
October. 

137.  Chajpmun  (Penn.). — Large,  half  melting. — Sep- 
tember and  October. 

138.  Chancellor  (Penn.). — Large,  nlelting,  and  rich ; 
new. — September  and  October. 

139.  Delices  de  Jodoigne  (Bouvier). — Large,  melting; 
tree  vigorous  and  productive  ; new  (q). — November. 

140.  De  Bavay. — Large,  melting,  said  to  be  first  quality 
(q). — September. 

141.  Dug  de  Bordeaux  (Epine  Dumas). — Medium  size, 
half  melting,  vigorous,  and  productive  (q). — ^November. 

142.  De  Levine. — Medium  size,  half  melting,  produc- 
tive (q). — September. 

143.  Delices  dDIardempont. — Medium  size  to  large, 
melting,  productive  (q). — November  and  December. 

144.  Dillen  or  Doyenne  DillenP — Medium  size,  melt- 
ing and  good  (q).-'‘-December. 

145.  Doyenne  Goubault. — Medium  size,  melting  and 
good,  very  productive  (q). — Winter. 

146.  Doyenne  Robin.- -K.  new  variety  from  Angers^ 


316 


SELECM  VABIETIES  OF  FEUTTS. 


France,  said  to  be  very  large,  beautiful,  and  excellent; 
ripens  in  October. 

147.  Doyenne  Bose. — One  of  the  most  beautiful  of  all 
pears,  resembling  the  White  Doyenne  in  size  and  form, 
but  not  so  good  ; Same  season. 

148.  Ditchesse  de  Ma/rs. — Medium,  round"  r:h,  obovate, 
pale  yellow,  fair  and  smooth,  juicy,  melting,  and  very 
highly  perfumed. — October.  Deceived  from  France  in 
1848  ; succeeds  on  the  quince  ; tree  rather  delicate. 

149.  Eyeioood  (Knight,  Eng.). — Medium  size,  melting 
and  rich,  high  flavored. — November. 

150.  Ferdinand  de  Meester.^  or  Bousselet  de  Meester 
(Yan  Mons). — Medium  size,  melting  and  good. — Septem- 
ber and  October. 

151.  Fleur  de  Niege. — Medium  size,  melting  and  pro- 
ductive (q). — October. 

152.  Fortunee. — Kather  small,  melting,  high  flavored  ; 
succeeds  well  on  the  quince ; keeps  till  spring.  Episco- 
pal has  proved  synonymous  with  this. 

153.  Fredrika  Bremer. — A variety  recently  brought 
to  notice  by  Mr.  John  C.  Hastings,  of  Clinton,  N.  T.  It 
is  large,  obovate  inclining  to  pyriform ; green,  changing 
to  yellow  as  it  matures  ; melting,  buttery,  and  sprightly ; 
may  prove  to  be  a fine  variety.  October  and  November. 
The  tree  is  said  to  be  very  productive,  and  some  speci- 
mens to  attain  the  weight  of  sixteen  ounces. 

154.  Fondante  de  Maline. — A new  Belgian  winter 
variety,  melting  and  good ; very  productive ; succeeds 
well  on  the  quince.  Keeps  till  February. 

155.  Figue. — A very  distinct,  greenish  pear ; medium 
size,  pyriform,  stem  fleshy;  melting,  juicy,  and  good. 
November.  Tree  vigorous,  and  exceedingly  productive 
on  the  quince. 

156.  Gratioli  of  Jersey. — Medium  size,  melting  ; very 
sweet  and  good  ; succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — October. 


PEAKS. 


317 


157.  Hull  (Mass.). — Medium  size,  melting,  fair  and 
good. — September  and  October. 

158.  Inconnue  Van  Mons. — Medium  size,  melting,  and 
fine. — January  to  Febiuary. 

159.  Jalousie  de  Fontenay  Vendee. — Medium  size, 
melting  and  rich ; new. — September.  Has  proved  excel- 
lent so  far. 

160.  Joneses  Seedling  (Phila.) — ^Hew,  and  said  to  be 
excellent ; grows  well  on  the  quince. 

161.  Knighfs  March  Bergamot. — One  of  Eiiight’s  best 
seedlings,  described  as  resembling  the  Autumn  Bergamot ; 
buttery  and  rich ; valuable  for  its  long  keeping. — March. 
Very  hardy  and  productive. 

162.  Kirtland. — A seckel  seedling,  raised  in  Ohio  by 
H.  P.  Kirtland,  Esq.,  and  introduced  by  Prof.  Kirtland, 
of  Cleveland,  who  describes  it  as  medium  size,  globular 
ovate,  crimson  russet,  varying  to  a dull  green ; melting, 
juicy,  rich,  and  in  the  highest  degree  delicious  ; tree  has 
the  thrifty  habit  of  White  Doyenne. — September. 

163.  Louise  de  Boulogne. — Large,  breaking,  keeps 
through  winter  ; succeeds  on  the  quince. 

164.  Louise  Orleans  (Van  Mons). — Medium  size, 
oblong,  brownish  green  ; melting  and  sugary. — November. 

165.  Moccas  (Knight’s,  Eng.). — Medium  size,  obovate, 
brown ; melting,  juicy,  and  high  flavored ; tree  very 
hardy  and  productive. — December. 

166.  Monarch  (Knight’s). — Spurious  varieties  have  been  ^ 
disseminated.  The  true  one  is  large,  roundish  obovate, 
brownish,  buttery,  and  slightly  musky ; tree  hardy  and 
productive,  but  a tardy  bearer  ; succeeds  double  worked 
on  the  quince. — January. 

167.  Mushingum. — A native  of  Ohio ; rather  large, 
roundish,  greenish  yellow,  russeted,  melting,  juicy,  sweet, 
and  high  flavored.  September.  It  is  said  to  be  hardy, 
productive,  and  a fine  grower;  may  prove  valuable. 


318 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS, 


168.  McLaughlin, — A native  of  Maine  ; medium  size, 
obovate,  brownish  yellow ; a little  coarse,  but  juicy  and 
rich ; very  hardy  and'  productive ; may  be  valuable  for 
the  North. — November  and  December. 

169.  Nouveau  Poiteau  (Y an  Mons). — A large,  fine,  melt 
ing  pear ; has  fruited  at  Boston,  and  is  pronounced  excel- 
lent.— October  and  November.  Tree  vigorous  and  pro- 
ductive. 

170.  Osborne, — Medium  to  small,  bright  yellow,  melt- 
ing,  juicy,  and  sweet ; tree  vigorous ; originated  in 
Indiana,  proves  good  at  Cincinnati ; may  prove  a valu- 
able early  variety  for  the  West.— August  at  Cincinnati. 

171.  Passe  Tardive, — Large,  breaking,  productive  ; for 
‘Cooking  all  through  winter. 

172.  Queen  of  the  Low  Gountodes, — Medium  to  large, 
half-melting. — October  and  November. 

173.  Peine  dULiver, — Medium,  half-melting;  produc- 
tive.— December  to  J anuary. 

174.  Seigneur  d^Esperin, — Medium  size,  melting  ; first 
quality. — October. 

175.  St,  Andre, — Medium  size,  half-melting,  very  pro- 
ductive.— October  and  November. 

176.  Sageret, — Medium  size,  melting,  sweet  and  sugary. 
— December  to  March. 

177.  St,  Michael  Archangel, — Large,  melting,  very 
productive. — October. 

178.  Suzette  de  Bavay, — Medium,  melting,  first  quality, 
remarkably  productive  ; is  said  to  keep  all  winter  ; best  in 
March  and  April 

179.  St,  Dorothee, — Large  to  medium,  greenish  yelhjw, 
russeted;  melting,  sprightly,  and  fine.  October.  Tliis 
has  borne  with  Mr.  Hovey,  who  gives  it  a very  high 
character. 

180.  Triomphe  de  Jodoigne  (Bouvier). — Yery  large. 


QUINCES. 


319 


melting ; tree  very  vigorous  and  productive.  November 
and  December.  Has  proved  good  at  Boston. 

181.  Tarquin. — Large,  coarse;  for  cooking  only;  tree 
very  vigorous  and  productive  ; is  said  to  keep  two  years. 

182.  Viscomte  Sjpoelherg, — Medium  size  to  small,  yellow 
tinged  with  red  next  the  sun  ; buttery  and  melting  ; first- 
rate  under  good  culture ; succeeds  well  on  the  quince. — 
November. 


Section  3. — Quinces. 

1.  Ajqple-Shaped  or  Orange. — Large,  roundish,  with  a 
short  neck ; of  a bright  golden  yellow  color ; tree  has 
rather  slender  shoots  and  oval  leaves ; very  productive. 
This  is  the  variety  most  extensively  cultivated  for  the 
fruit. — Ripe  in  October. 

2.  Pear-Shaped. — ^This  has  generally  more  of  a pyri- 
form shape  than  the  preceding ; the  fruit  is  larger  and 
finer,  the  tree  stronger. 

3.  Portugal. — ^The  fruit  of  this  is  more  oblong  than  the 
preceding,  of  a lighter  color  and  better  quality,  but  not 
so  good  a bearer ; the  shoots  are  stouter,  and  the  leaves 
thicker  and  broader ; usually  propagated  by  budding  or 
grafting  on  the  Apple  Quince.  A week  or  two  later  than 
the  Apple. 

4.  Angers. — A variety  of  the  Portugal,  the  strongest 
grower  of  all  the  quinces,  and  the  best  for  pear  stocks. 
The  fruit  is  also  said  to  be  larger  and  rather  better  than 
any  of  the  others.  We  have  not  seen  it  yet,  but  expect 
oiir  trees  to  bear  this  season,  1851. 

5.  Upright. — A variety  with  slender  erect  branches ; 
grows  more  freely  from  cuttings  than  any  other.  We 
have  not  fruited  it,  nor  found  it  anywhere  described,  but 
have  trees  now  showing  fruit  buds.  Received  among 
stocks  from  France. 


320 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


6.  Chinese. — Usually  cultivated  for  ornament.  Quite 
different  in  appearance  from  the  others.  The  leaves  are 
glossy,  sharply  and  beautifully  toothed  ; the  fruit  is  large, 
oblong,  bright  yellow,  and  keeps  till  spring ; little  used. 
The  flowers  are  large  and  showy,  with  the  fragrance  of 
the  violet ; worked  on  the  other  sorts ; rather  tender, 
requiring  a sheltered  situation.  A very  tardy  bearer. 

7.  Japan. — ^This  is  very  distinct  from  all  the  others  ; 
very  bushy,  thorny,  and  hardy.  There  are  two  varieties. 
The  common  one  has  beautiful  bright  red  blossoms,  and 
the  other  blush  ; the  most  beautiful  of  all  our  hardy 
spring  flowering  shrubs.  Fruit  about  as  large  as  a 
•chicken’s  egg  ; green,  and  quite  unflt  for  use. 


SECOND  DIVISION.— STONE  FRUITS—APRICOTS,  CHERRIES, 
PEACHES,  NECTARINES  AND  PLUMS. 

Section  4. — Select  Apricots. 

1.  Breda. — Small,  round,  dull  orange,  marked  with  red 
in  the  sun,  flesh  orange  colored,  juicy,  rich  and  vinous ; 
parts  from  the  stone,  kernel  sweet,  tree  hardy,  robust  and 
prolific. — ^End  of  July  and  beginning  of  August. 

2.  Early  Golden  (Dubois). — Small,  pale  orange,  flesh 
orange,  juicy  and  sweet;  kernel  sweet;  tree  very  hardy 
and  productive.  The  original  tree  at  Fishkill  is  said  to 
have  yielded  $90  worth  of  fruit  in  one  season. — Beginning 
of  July. 

3.  La/rge  Early. — Large,  orange,  with  a red  cheek,  flesh 
sweet,  rich  and  excellent,  parts  from  the  stone ; tree  vigo- 
rous and  productive. — Beginning  of  August. 

4.  Moorpa/rTc. — One  of  the  largest  and  flnest  apricots, 
yellow,  with  a red  cheek,  flesh  orange,  sweet,  juicy  and 
rich,  parts  from  the  stone ; growth  rather  slow,  but  stout 
^d  short  jointed ; very  productive. 


CHERRIES. 


321 


• 5.  Orange, — Medium  size,  orange,  with  a ruddy  cheek, 
flesh  rather  dry,  requires  ripening  in  the  house;  adheres 
slightly  to  the  stone. — End  of  July. 

6.  Peach, — A very  large,  handsome  and  excellent  va- 
riety, quite  similar  to  the  Moorpark ; the  shoots  are  not  so 
short  jointed,  and  the  fruit  a degree  larger. 

7.  — Purple  or  Black  Apricot, — ^This  is  quite  distinct  in 
all  respects  from  others,  very  much  like  a phim,  small, 
pale  red,  purple  in  the  sun,  flesh  yellow,  juicy  and  plea- 
sant. The  tree  has  slender  dark  shoots,  and  small,  oval, 
glossy  foliage.  It  is  as  hardy  as  a plum,  and  therefore 
worthy  of  attention  where  the  finer  sorts  are  too  tender. 
— August. 

Nos.  1 and  2 are  the  surest  and  most  abundant  bearers, 
but  3,  4 and  6 are  the  largest  and  finest.  No.  7 is  only 
recommended  by  its  hardiness,  for  localities  where  the 
others  do  not  succeed. 


Section  5. — Select  Cherries. 

CLASS  I. HEART  CHERRIES. 

Fruit  heart  shaped,  with  tender  sweet  flesh.  Trees  of 
rapid  growth,  wflth  large,  soft  drooping  leaves. 

1.  American  Medium  size,  amber,  shaded  and 

mottled  with  bright  red;  tender,  juicy,  sweet  and  deli- 
cious ; hangs  very  long  on  the  tree  without  rotting ; re- 
markably vigorous  and  productive.— End  of  June  till  mid- 
dle of  July. 

2.  Baumanns  May. — Small,  dark  red;  tender,  juicy 
and  sweet.  Tree  a vigorous  grower,  and  a most  abundant 
bearer.  Ripens  very  early ; middle  of  June  here.  French 

3.  Black  Heart, — An  excellent  old  variety ; rather  large, 
black,  tender,  juicy  and  rich.  Tree  grows  large,  and  is 
very  prolific. — Beginning  of  July.  French. 

14* 

i 


322 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


4.  Black  Eagle. — Large,  black,  tender,  juicy*  rich  and 
high  flavored.  Tree  a rapid,  stout  grower  and  productive. 
Ripe  beginning  of  July  to  the  15th.  English. 

5.  Black  Tartarian. — Very  large,  purplish  black,  half 
tender;  flavor  mild  and  pleasant.  Tree  a remarkably 
vigorous,  erect  and  beautiful  grower,  and  an  immense 
bearer. — Ripe  last  of  June  and  beginning  of  July.  One 
of  the  most  popular  varieties  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 
Russian. 

6.  Burras  Seedling. — Large,  pointed ; flesh  color  in  the 
shade,  pale  red  in  the  sun ; tender,  sweet  and  delicious. 
In  luxuriant  foliage  and  stateliness  of  growth  it  surpasses 
even  the  Black  Tartarian. — Beginning  of  July.  New; 
origin,  Perrinton,  Monroe  county.  New  York. 

Y.  Cods  Transparent. — Medium  size,  pale  amber,  red 
and  mottled  next  the  sun ; tender,  sweet  and  fine. — End 
of  June  here.  Tree  vigorous  and  erect.  Origin,  Middle- 
town,  Conn. 

8.  Da/cenpords  Early. — Very  similar  in  all  respects  to 
Black  Heart,  but  a few  days  earlier.  American. 

^Downed s Late  Red. — Rather  large,  light  red,  tender 
and  juicy;  slightly  bitter  until  fully  ripe,  when  it  is 
most  delicious.  Tree  is  a vigorous  erect  grower,  and  pro- 
ductive.— Tenth  to  twentieth  of  July.  American,  and  one 
of  the  best  of  all. 

10.  Eojrly  White  Heart. — Medium  size,  yellowish  white, 
red  in  the  sun;  tender  and  sweet,  growth  moderately 
vigorous  and  erect. — Middle  and  last  of  June. 

11.  Early  Purple  Guigne. — Small  to  medium  size,  pur- 
ple, tender,  juicy  and  sweet.  Growth  slender  and  spread- 
ing.— Ripe  at  same  time  as  Bauman’s  May.  French. 

12.  Elton. — Large,  pointed;  pale  yellow,  nearly  covered 
with  light  red;  half  tender,  juicy,  rich  and  delicious. 
Tree  vigorous,  spreading  and  irregular. — ^End  of  June. 
English. 


CHERRIES. 


323 


13.  KnigMs  Early  Black, — Large,  black,  tender,  juicy, 
rich  and  excellent.  Tree  vigorous  and  very  productive ; 
branches  spreading. — Ripe  a few  days  before  Black  Tar- 
tarian. English. 

14.  Manning's  Mottled, — Rather  large,  amber  shaded 
and  mottled  distinctly  with  red ; tender,  sweet  and  deli- 
cious. Tree  erect,  vigorous  and  productive. — End  of  J une. 
Massachusetts. 

15.  Sweet  Montmorency, — Small,  light  red,  tender  and 
sweet.  Tree  vigorous,  erect  and  productive. — Ripens 
about  the  same  time  as  Sparhawk’s  Honey,  or  a few  days 
later.  American. 

16.  White  French  Guigne  (probably  the  Merisier  a 
gros  fruit  blanc,”  of  the  French). — A distinct  and  beauth 
fill  cherry,  rather  large,  creamy  white,  flesh  tender  and 
melting;  juice  colorless,  sweet,  with  a scarcely  percepti- 
ble degree  of  bitterness ; jiot  attacked  by  the  birds,  like 
red  and  black  cherries.  Tree  is  vigorous  and  very  pro- 
ductive.— Middle  of  July.  French. 

17.  Wilkinson, — Medium  size,  black,  tender,  juicy  and 
rich.  Tree  vigorous,  erect  and  productive. — Ripens  late, 
succeeds  Downer’s.  Massachusetts. 

18.  Sjpa/rhawBs  Honey,  Medium  size,  roundish,  light 
red,  sweet  and  delicious ; stone  large.  Tree  a vigorous, 
pyramidal  grower  and  very  productive. — Ripens  with 
Downer’s  late,  and  hangs  long  on  the  tree ; a great  favo- 
rite with  most  people.  Massachusetts. 

CLASS  n. — BIGARREAU  CHERRIES. 

These  are  chiefly  distinguished  from  the  preceding 
class  by  their  firmer  flesh.  Their  growth  is  vigorous, 
branches  spreading,  and  foliage  luxuriant,  soft  and  droop- 
ing. 

19.  Bigarreau^  or  Yellow  Spanish — Large,  pale  ye' 


824 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS 


ow,  with  a bright  red  cheek  in  the  sun ; flesh  Arm,  juicy 
and  delicious;  one  of  the  best,  most  beautiful,  and  popular 
of  all  light  colored  chen-ies.  Tree  vigorous  and  produc 
tive. — ^End  of  June.  Turkish. 

20.  Sutf/ner^s  Yellow, — Medium  size,  yellow,  flesh  crisp 
juicy  and  sweet.  Tree  vigorous  and  productive.  Its  pe 
culiar  and  beautiful  color  makes  this  sort  desirable. — End 
of  July. 

21.  China  Bigarreau. — Medium  size,  oval,  red,  beauti 
fully  speckled ; firm,  sweet  and  rich,  with  a scarcely  per 
ceptible  bitterness.  Tree  vigorous,  erect,  and  a most  pro 
fuse  bearer ; a very  distinct  and  pretty  variety. — Begin- 
ning of  July.  Hangs  long  on  the  tree. 

22.  Flesh-Colored  Biga/rreau  (Bigarrean  couleur  de 
chair). — A large  and  beautiful  cherry,  resembling  the 
Elton,  and  ripening  about  the  same  time.  French. 

23.  Florence, — A beautiful  cherry,  resembling  the  Bi- 
garreau; but  firmer,  and  a week  later.  From  Florence. 

24.  Gridley  or  Apple  Cherry, — Medium  size,  dark 
brown,  nearly  black;  flesh  very  firm,  sprightly  sub-acid, 
high  flavored.  Tree  grows  rapidly  and  erect,  and  bears 
immense  crops.  Its  firmness  and  lateness  make  it  very 
valuable  for  market. — Middle  to  last  of  July.  Mass. 

25.  Hildesheim  Bigarreau, — Medium  size,  yellow,  red 
in  the  sun ; flesh  firm,  sweet  and  agreeable.  Tree  is  a 
good  grower,  but  the  ends  of  the  young  shoots  are  apt  to 
get  winter  killed  here. — Beginning  of  August.  German. 

26.  Holland  Bigarreau. — A very  large  and  beautiful 
cherry ; pale  yellow,  covered  with  bright  red  in  the  sun ; 
flesh  firm,  juicy,  sweet  and  fine  flavored.  Tree  vigorous, 
with  spreading,  irregular  branches. — End  of  June  and  be- 
ginning of  July.  Dutch. 

27.  Large  Heart-shaped  Biga/rreau  (Gros  Couret). — 
Large,  dark,  shining  brown;  firm,  rich  and  excellent 


CHERRIES. 


325 


Tree  vigoiv^us,  branches  spreading. — Middle  of  July. 
French. 

28.  Madison  Bigarreau, — Medium  size,  amber,  co- 
vered with  red  in  the  sun ; flesh  half  tender,  sweet  and 
fine  flavored. — End  of  June  and  beginning  of  July. 
American. 

29.  Merveille  de  Sept — A new  French  cherry,  remark- 
able only  for  its  lateness. — Ripens  with  us  the  last  of 
August.  Tree  a vigorous  grower  and  good  bearer.  Fruit 
small,  firm,  rather  dry  and  sweet. 

30.  Napoleon  Bigarreau, — A magnificent,  large  cherry, 
surpassing  in  size  and  beauty  all  the  others ; pale  yellow, 
with  a bright  red  cheek ; flesh  very  firm  until  folly  ripe, 
when  it  becomes  tender,  juicy  and  sweet.  Tree  is  a 
vigorous  grower,  and  bears  enormous  crops. — Beginning 
of  July.  French. 

31.  Rockpjort  Bigarreau  (Dr.  Kirkland). — Large,  pale 
amber  in  the  shade,  light  red  in  the  sun ; half  tender, 
sweet  and  good.  Tree  vigorous  and  erect. — Ripe  same 
time  as  Black  Tartarian.  Ohio. 

32.  Tradescanfs  Black  Heart  (Elkhorn). — Yery  large 
black,  firm,  juicy  and  good.  Tree  vigorous  and  upright, 
with  peculiar  gray  bark.  A great  bearer,  and  so  late  as 
to  be  very  valuable. — Middle  and  last  of  July.  England. 

33.  Tardim  d^Argentat—LdLVgQ^  long,  dark,  shining, 
red,  nearly  black;  tender,  when  ripe;  juicy,  with  a pecu- 
liar flavor,  something  like  raspberry.  Tree  is  an  upright, 
vigorous  grower,  with  peculiar  small,  light,  wavy  leaves. 
— ^Middle  of  July. 

CLASS  m. ^DTJKE  AND  MORELLO  CHERRIES. 

These  two  classes  of  cherries  are  very  distinct  from  the 
preceding.  The  trees  are  of  smaller  size  and  grow 
slowly;  the  leaves  are  thicker  and  more  erect,  and  of  a 


S26 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


deeper  green.  The  fruit  is  grenerally  round,  and  in  color 
varying  from  light  red,  like  Belle  de  Choisy^  to  dark 
brown,  like  Mayduke  or  Morello, 

The  Bvdces  have  stout,  erect  branches  usually,  and  some 
of  them,  like  Belle  de  Choisy  and  Heine.  Ilortense^  quite 
sweet,  whilst  the  Morellos  have  slender,  spreading 
branches,  and  acid  fruit  invariably.  These  two  classes 
are  peculiarly  appropriate  for  dw^arfs  and  pyramids,  on 
the  mahaleb  stock,  and  their  hardiness  renders  them  well 
worthy  of  attention  in  localities  where  the  Hearts  and 
Bigarreaus  are  too  tender. 

34:.  Belle  de  Ohoisy. — Medium  size,  amber  shaded  and 
mottled  with  red  ; tender,  melting,  sweet  and  rich  ; rather 
a shy  bearer ; tree  makes  a pretty  pyramid. — End  of 
June.  French. 

35.  Belle  Magnifique. — A magnificent,  large,  red,  late 
cherry  ; excellent  for  cooking,  and  fine  for  table  when 
fully  ripe,  rather  acid,  tender,  juicy,  rich  ; tree  is  a slow 
grower,  but  a most  profuse  bearer ; makes  a fine  dwarf 
or  a pyramid  on  the  mahaleb. — Last  of  July.  French. 

36.  Carnation, — Large,  light,  red  mottled  with  orange; 
tender,  juicy,  a little  acid,  rich,  and  excellent ; tree  is  a 
good  grower  and  a profuse  bearer  ; makes  a fine  dwarf. — 
Middle  and  last  of  July. 

37.  Donna  Maria. — Medium  size,  dark  red,  tender, 
juicy,  acid,  rich,  fine  for  cooking ; tree  small,  very  pro- 
lific.— Middle  of  July.  French. 

38.  Du  Nord  Noumlle. — A new  French  morello,  ripens 
all  through  August ; medium  size,  bright  red,  tender, 
acid ; useful  on  account  of  its  lateness ; makes  a beau- 
tiful dwarf  or  pyramid. 

39.  Early  Richmond.^  Kentish  or  Montmorency. — An 
early,  red,  acid  cherry,  very  valuable  for  cooking  early  in 
the  season. — Ripens  through  June. 

4:0.  Flemish  Montmorency. — A remarkably  short-stern 


CHERRIES. 


327 


mcd,  flattened  cherrj ; medium  size,  red,  tender,  juicy, 
acid,  good  for  cooking  ; rather  a poor  bearer,  but  curious. 

41.  Indulle^  Nain  Precoce. — ^The  earliest  of  all  cher- 
ries, ripening  about  the  last  of  May  or  first  of  June  ; it  is 
dwarf  in  habit,  and  makes  a pretty  bush  on  the  mahaleb 
stock ; the  foliage  is  small,  dark,  and  glossy,  and  it  is 
quite  prolific.  French. 

42.  Jeffries  Duke, — Medium  size,  red,  tender,  sub-acid; 
branches  erect  and  stiff ; makes  a beautiful  pyramid. — 
Middle  of  June. 

43.  Late  Duke. — Large,  light  red,  late  and  excellent ; 
tree  makes  a nice  dwarf  or  pyramid. — End  of  July. 

44.  May  Duke. — An  old,  well  known,  excellent  variety, 
large,  dark  red,  juicy,  sub-acid,  rich ; tree  hardy,  vigo- 
rous, and  fruitful ; ripens  a long  time  in  succession ; fine 
for  dwarfs  and  pyramids. — Middle  of  June,  for  several 
weeks. 

45.  Morello  (English). — Large,  dark  red,  nearly  black, 
tender,  juicy,  sub-acid,  rich ; tree  small  and  slender ; 
makes  a fine  bush  on  the  mahaleb  ; if  trained  on  a north 
wall,  it  may  be  in  use  through  all  the  month  of  August. 

46.  Plumstone  Morello. — Large,  dark  red,  rich  and 
fine ; the  best  of  all  the  morellos ; tree  a slender,  slow 
grower ; makes  a nice  bush  on  the  mahaleb. — July  and 
August. 

47.  Peine  Hortense.^  Monstreuse  de  Ba/oay. — A new 
French  cherry  of  great  excellence ; large,  bright  red, 
tender,  juicy,  nearly  sweet,  and  delicious  ; tree  vigorous, 
and  bears  well ; makes  a beautiful  pyramid. 

iSEW  AND  RARE  CHERRIES  RECENTLY  BROUGHT  TO  NOTICE. 

48.  Bigarreau  Monstreuse  de  MezJ. — A very  large, 
fine  variety,  recently  introduced  from  France,  but  not 
fully  equal  to  the  character  given  it  in  the  French  jour- 


328 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


nals  It  is  quite  as  large  as  Tradescanfs  Blacky  and 
somewhat  similar  in  form ; of  a dark  red,  approaching  a 
mahogany  color  when  ripe  ; very  firm  ; tree  of  a vigorous 
habit,  similar  to  the  Elton. 

49.  Belle  Orleans, — A beautiful  medium  sized  pale 

cherry,  ripening  immediately  after  Bauman’s  May  and 
Early  Purple;  from  France. 

50.  Champagne, — A new  variety,  raised  by  Mr.  Charles 
Dowming,  of  Newburgh  ; described  in  “ Hort.,”  vol.  v.,  as 
being  very  hardy,  a great  bearer,  fruit  medium  size,  brick 
red,  “ with  a lively  rich  flavor,.,  a mingling  of  sugar  and 
acid  ripe  twentieth  of  J une,  and  hangs  long  on  the 
tree. 

51.  Downing^ s Red  Cheek, — ^This  is  also  described  in 
the  Hort.,”  as  “ far  handsomer,  as  well  as  more  tender 
and  sweet,  than  the  Bigarreau  or  Graffion,  ’which  it  some- 
what resembles,”  and  precedes  a few  days  in  ripening. 

52.  Great  Bigarreau, — This  name  has  been  given  by 
Mr.  Downing  temporarily,  until  its  real  name  be 
found,”  to  a very  large,  fine  cherry,  recently  brought  into 
notice  by  Mr.  L.  M.  Ferris,  of  Orange  county.  New  York, 
who  found  it  among  imported  fruit  trees  growing  upon 
an  estate  of  which  he  has  recently  come  into  possession. 
It  is  described  as  larger  than  the  Black  Tartarian,  and 
fully  equal  in  quality,  and  ripening  a few  days  later; 
described  in  ‘‘  Hort.,”  in  January,  1851. 

53.  New  Large  Black  Bigarreau, — Described  in  Ho- 
vey’s  Magazine,”  December,  1850,  as  brought  from  the 
south  of  France  fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago,  by  a gentle- 
man of  Charlestown,  Mass.  No  doubt,  identical  with 
“ the  Great  Bigarreau”  of  Mr.  Downing ; and  as  it  has 
been  known  for  many  years  by  this  name,  it  will,  of 
course,  take  the  preference  if  they  prove  identical. 

54.  Roberts^  Red  Heart, — A heait  variety,  raised  in 


CHERRIES, 


329 


Salem,  Mass.,  medium  size,  pale  amber,  mottled  with  red, 
juicy,  and  sweet;  a great  bearer  ; ripe  last  of  June. 

55.  VaiVs  August  DuTce, — ^This  is  described  as  being 
one  third  larger  than  the  May  DuTce^  and  ripening  at 
Troy  about  the  eighth  or  tenth  of  August ; of  a bright  red 
color  and  flavor  like  the  May  Duke  ; originated  by  Henry 
V^ail,  Esq.,  of  Ti’oy ; described  in  ‘^Hort.,”  vol.  iv. 


SMALL  SELECT  LISTS. 

For  the  Garden. — Nos.  11,  13,  4,  44, 12,  9,  34,  35,  and 
45. 

For  the  Market  Orchard. — ^Nos.  5,  19,  30,  24,  32,  4, 
and  13. 

For  Small  Hardy  Trees. — ^Nos.  34,  35,  36,  41,  45,  46, 
47,  and  39. 


Section  6. — Select  Nectarines. 

The  nectarine  tree  differs  in  nothing  from  a peach,  and 
the  fruit  only  in  being  smooth  skinned.  It  is  peculiarly 
liable  to  be  destroyed  by  the  curculio,  so  that  it  is  not 
advisable  to  j)lant  it  in  small  gardens. 

1.  Boston. — Large,  bright  yellow,  with  a red  cheek ; 
flesh  yellow,  sweet  and  pleasant  flavor,  freestone. — First 
of  September. 

2.  Downton. — Large,  greenish  white,  with  a dark  red 
cheek  ; flesh  greenish  white,  rich  and  high  flavored  ; one 
of  the  best.  Free. 

3.  Early  Violet.^  Violette  Hative. — Medium  size,  yel- 
lowish green,  with  a purple  cheek  ; flesh  pale  green,  melt- 
ing, rich  and  high  flavored.  Free. — Last  of  August. 

4.  Elruge. — Medium  size,  greenish  yellow,  with  a dark 
red  cheek ; flesh  greenish  white,  juicy,  and  high  flavored ; 
excellent. — Beg'nning  of  September.  Free. 


330 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


5.  Early  Newi/ngton, — Large,  pale  green,  red  in  the 
sun  ; flesh  pale,  red  at  the  stone,  juicy,  and  rich  ; adheres 
to  the  stone.  Cling. 

6.  Hunfs  Tawny. — Medium  size ; yellow,  with  a red 
cheek ; flesh  yellow,  rich,  and  juicy — Beginning  of  Au- 
gust. Free. 

7.  Ha/rdwick  Seedling. — Large,  pale  green,  with  a vio- 
let red  cheek  ; flesh  pale  green,  juicy,  melting,  and  rich. 
— End  of  August.  Free. 

Nos.  2,  3,  and  4,  were  recommended  for  general  culti- 
vation by  the  Pomological  Congress  at  New  York  in 
1849. 

The  Great  Stanwick  Nectarine.^  of  which  so  much  has 
been  said  in  England,  will  soon  be  introduced  here,  and 
will  be  well  worthy  the  attention  of  those  who  can  give 
it  a wall  or  a place  under  glass. 

Section  7. — Select  Peaches. 

CLASS  I. freestones. 

FI.  S.  DENOTES  SMALL  FLOWERS  ; gl.  GLANDS  ; glob.  GLOBOSE  ; AND 
ren.  reniform. 

1.  AXberge  Yellow  (Barnard’s,  Yellow  Eare-Pipe,  etc.). 
—Large,  deep  yellow,  with  a dull  red  cheek,  flesh  yellow, 
juicy,  and  rich  ; tree  vigorous,  hardy,  and  productive. — 
Beginning  of  September.  FIs.  small,  globose  glands. 

^ 2.  Bergen^ s Yellow. — Yery  large,  orange,  red  in  the 

sun  ; flesh  yellow,  juicy  and  fine  flavored  ; tree  produc- 
tive. This  is  considered  one  of  the  best  of  yellow  peaches, 
— Middle  of  September.  Glands  ren.  fl.  small. 

3.  Bremort.^  or  Brevoorfs  Morris. — Large,  dull  white, 
with  a red  cheek  ; flesh  pale,  sweet,  and  fine  flavored ; a 
good  and  regular  bearer. — ^Beginning  of  September.  FIs. 
small,  glands  ren. 


PEACHES. 


831 


4.  Cole's  Ea/rly  Ited. — Medium  size,  mostly  clouded 
a.id  mottled  with  red ; flesh  pale,  juicy,  rich,  and  deli- 
cious; tree  vigorous,  and  an  abundant  bearer. — Middle 
of  August.  Glands  globose,  flowers  small. 

5.  Cooledge-s  Favorite, — A most  beautiful  and  excellent 
peach  ; skin  white,  delicately  mottled  with  red ; flesh 
pale,  juicy,  and  rich ; tree  vigorous  and  productive. — 
Middle  to  end  of  August.  Flowers  small,  globose  glands. 

6.  Orawford''s  Early, — A magniflcent,  large,  yellow 
peach,  of  good  quality ; tree  exceedingly  vigorous  and 
prolific  ; its  size,  beauty,  and  productiveness,  make  it  one 
of  the  most  popular  orchard  varieties. — Beginning  of 
September.  Glands  globose,  flowers  small. 

7.  Crawford's  Late  Melocoton  (Craw^ford’s  Superb). — 
Really  a superb  yellow  peach,  very  large,  productive  and 
good,  ripening  about  the  close  of  the  peach  season. — Last 
of  September.  Glands  globose,  fl.  small. 

8.  Druid  Hill, — Large,  roundish,  greenish  white,  cloud- 
ed with  red  next  the  sun  ; flesh  greenish  white,  juicy,  and 
rich  ; very  productive. — Middle  of  September.  Origin- 
ated at  Baltimore.  Fl.  s.  gl.  glob. 

9.  Early  Newington  Free, — Large,  whitish,  with  a red 
cheek  ; flesh  pale,  red  at  the  stone,  rich  and  vinous  flavor. 
— End  of  August.  Fl.  s.  gl.  ren. 

10.  Early  Anne  (Green  Nutmeg). — Small,  greenish 
white,  with  a red  cheek ; flesh  pale,  sweet,  and  good. — 
End  of  July.  Flowers  large,  no  glands,  unthrifty,  and 
liable  to  mildew  ; only  recommended  for  its  earliness. 

11.  Early  Yoric  (Early  Purple,  Serrate  Early  York, 
fttc.). — Medium  size ; on  young  thrifty  trees  large,  green- 
ish white,  covered  in  the  sun  with  dull  purplish  red  ; flesh 
juicy,  rich  and  excellent;  tree  a fair  grower  and  very 
prolific  ; one  of  the  best  early  orchard  varieties. — Middle 
of  August.  Leaves  serrate,  flowers  large. 

12.  Early  Tillotson, — An  excellent  variety,  ripening 


332 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


with  the  preceding,  about  the  same  size,  and  of  excellent 
flavor ; the  tree  is  sometimes  considerably  affected  with 
mildew,  and  in  particular  cases  the  fruit  also ; it  should 
have  warm,  light  soil,  and  open  exposure.  Serrate,  fls. 
small. 

13.  George  the  Fourth. — Large,  white,  with  a red 
cheek ; flesh  pale,  juicy,  and  rich ; tree  vigorous,  and 
bears  moderate  crops,  of  the  highest  quality. — End  of 
August.  Gl.  glob.,  fls.  small. 

14.  Grosse  Mignonne. — Large,  dull  wLite,  with  a red 
cheek  ; flesh  pale,  juicy,  with  a rich,  vinous  flavor  ; a free 
grower  and  good  bearer.  In  England  it  is  called  the  best 
peach  in  cultivation.” — End  of  August.  Flowers  large, 
globose  glands. 

15.  Harness  Early. — Large,  white,  with  a red  cheek ; 
flesh  pale,  juicy,  and  delicious  ; tree  hardy  and  very  pro- 
ductive ; one  of  the  best  varieties. — Middle  of  August. 
Fls.  small,  glob.  gl. 

16.  Jacques^  JEtareFipe. — A superb  yellow  peach,  full 
as  large  and  as  good  as  Crawford’s  early,  and  ripening  a 
week  or  ten  days  later ; origin,  Massachusetts.  Glands 
ren.  fl.  s. 

17.  Large  Early  Yoric. — A large  and  beautiful  variety, 
white,  with  a red  cheek ; flesh  juicy  and  delicious ; tree 
very  vigorous  and  productive ; one  of  the  very  best. — 
End  of  August.  Gl.  glob.  fl.  s. 

18.  Late  Red  Rare-Ripe. — Large,  roundish  oval,  grey- 
ish white,  marbled  with  red  in  the  sun ; flesh  pale,  rich 
and  fine. — Beginning  of  September.  Fl.  s.  gl.  glob. 

19.  Late  Admirable. — Large,  roundish,  oval,  yellowish 
green,  with  a red  cheek  ; flesh  pale,  fine  flavored. — End 
of  September.  Fl.  s.  gl.  glob. 

20.  La  Grange. — Large,  greenish  white,  slightly  red- 
dened in  the  sun,  flesh  pale,  juicy,  sweet,  and  rich.  Its 
lateness  and  color  make  it  a desirable  variety  for  pre 


PEACHES. 


333 


serving.  It  should  have  the  warmest  soil  and  situation 
north  of  New  York,  or  it  will  not  ripen  well. — Last  of  Sep- 
tember or  beginning  of  October ; fl.  small,  glands  ren. 

-V  21.  Morris'^  White, — ^Medium  size,  dull  creamy  white, 
tinged  with  red  in  the  sun,  flesh  white  to  the  stone,  juicy 
and  delicious;  tree  a good  bearer;  highly  prized  for 
preserving  on  account  of  the  entire  absence  of  red  in  the 
flesh. — Middle  of  September  ; gl.  ren.,  fl.  small. 

22.  Morris^  Bed  Bare  Bipe, — Large,  roundish,  green- 
ish white,  with  a red  cheek,  flesh  pale,  light  red  at  the 
stone,  juicy  and  rich;  trees  very  productive;  fl.  small, 
glands  glob. ; similar  to  George  lY. 

23.  Old  Mixon  Freestone, — Large,  greenish  white  and 
red,  flesh  pale,  juicy,  and  rich;  tree  hardy  and  exceed- 
ingly productive ; a standard  orchard  variety. — ^Middle 
of  September  for  the  north. 

24.  Bed  Bare  Bipe  (Ey.  Ked  Eare  ^ipe). — A fine  old 
sort,  whitish,  with  a dark  red  cheek  ; :$esh  pale,  rich,  and 
high  flavored. — End  of  August.  Slightly  subject  to  mil- 
dew; fl.  small;  frequently  comfounded  with  the  follow- 
ing : 

25.  Boyal  Kensington, — Yery  similar  to,  if  not  iden- 
tical with  the  Grosse  Mignonne ; several  varieties  of  white 
fleshed  peaches  are  cultivated  about  Eochester  as  the 
‘‘  Kensington.” 

26.  Boyal  George, — Medium  to  large  size,  white,  with 
a deep  red  cheek,  flesh  white,  deep  red  at  the  stone,  juicy, 
melting  and  rich;  tree  productive. — ^End  of  August;  fl. 
small. 

27.  Bed  Cheek  Melocoton, — A famous,  old,  well  known 
and  popular  variety;  large,  oval,  yellow,  with  a red 
cheek ; flesh  yellow,  juicy,  rich  and  vinous ; tree  very 
hardy  and  prolific  ; valuable  for  the  orchard. — Middle  to 
end  of  September.  Glands  glob.,  fl.  small. 

28.  Snow  Peach, — A beautiful  fruit,  medium  size,  skin 


334 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUm. 


and  flesli  clear,  creamy  white  throughout ; tree  hardy  and 
prodiK'l  ive,  and  shoots  greenish,  very  distinct,  and  one  of 
the  most  desirable  of  white  peaches  for  preserving. — 
Beginning  to  middle  of  September  ; fl.  small,  white. 

29.  Scotfs  Nonpareil, — A new,  very  large  and  fine  yel- 
low peach,  from  New  Jersey,  highly  esteemed  as  a valu- 
able market  variety. — Middle  to  end  of  September;  fl. 
small,  glands  glob. 

30.  Yan  Zandfs  Superb, — A beautiful  smooth  fruit, 
large  size,  whitish,  with  a red  cheek  ; flesh  pale,  juicy, 
sweet,  and  good. — First  of  September;  fl.  small,  glands 
glob. ; origin.  Long  Island. 

31.  Ward^s  Late  Free, — Large,  yellowish  white,  with  a 
red  cheek ; flesh  pale,  juicy,  and  good ; a standard  pro- 
fitable late  sort  among  the  Delaware  orchardists ; will 
probably  not  ripen  north  of  New  York. 

32.  Weld'^s  Freestone, — A very  large,  roundish  oval,  late 
peach;  greenish  white,  streaked  and  marbled  with  red 
next  the  sun ; flesh  pale,  pale,  juicy,  and  good ; never 
fails  to  give  an  abundant  crop  at  Rochester.  Beginning 
to  middle  of  October ; fl.  small,  glands  ren. ; succeeds 
well  in  Massachusetts. 

33.  White  Imperial, — Medium  to  large  size,  pale,  yel- 
lowish white,  faintly  marked  with  red  ; flesh  pale,  juicy, 
sweet,  and  good  ; tree  vigorous  ; fl.  small,  gl.  glob. 

CLASS  n. — CLINGSTONES. 

34.  Heath  Cling, — A magnificent  late  peach,  cream 
colored,  with  a light  blush  next  the  sun ; flesh  greenish 
white,  tender,  juicy,  and  of  the  highest  flavor ; fl.  small, 
glands  ren. ; tree  very  productive. — Ripe  in  October  ; and 
has  the  rare  property  of  keeping  well  for  several  weeks 
after  being  gathered  ; should  be  grown  on  a trellis  or  wail 
north  of  New  York  to  bring  it  to  perfection. 


PLUMS. 


335 


35.  Large  White  Cling, — Large,  greenish  white,  lightly 
reddened  in  the  sun,  juicy,  sweet,  and  rich  ; tree  very 
hardy  and  productive ; highly  esteemed  for  preserving  on 
account  of  its  light  color  ; fl.  small,  glands  glob. 

36.  Lemon  Cling, — A very  large  and  beautiful  lemon- 
shaped variety,  light  yellow,  reddened  in  the  sun ; flesh 
yellow,  rich,  and  vinous ; excellent  for  preserving ; tree 
hardy  and  productive. — End  of  September.  Glands  ren., 
fl.  small. 

37.  Old  Mixon  Clingstone, — Large,  round,  whitish,  with 
a red  cheek ; flesh  pale,  sweet,  and  rich  flavored ; fl. 
small,  glands  glob. — Beginning  of  September. 

38.  Old  Newington  Cling, — Large,  yellowish  white,  with 
a red  cheek  ; flesh  pale,  red  at  the  stone,  rich,  juicy,  and 
good. — Middle  of  September  ; fl.  large ; no  glands. 

Select  lists  of  Peaches, — Our  most  profitable  orchard 
varieties  in  Western  New  York  are,  Nos.  1,  4,  6,  11,  15 
or  17,  23,  27,  and  No.  6,  the  most  valuable  single  variety, 
on  account  of  its  great  size  and  beauty,  and  the  vigor  and 
productiveness  of  the  tree. 

Select  Garden  Varieties, — ^Nos.  2,  4,  5,  11,  13,  21,  23, 
and  28. 

Eobert  Manning  selects  for  New  England,  out  of  seventy 
varieties  that  he  has  tested.  Nos.  11,  13,  22,  6,  2,  19,  37, 
7,  besides  Nivette  and  Walter’s  Early.  These  ten  he  con- 
siders ^‘unimpeachable,”  and  No.  6 he  considers  com- 
bines, in  the  greatest  degree,  all  desirable  quality.  With 
these  he  recommends  Nos.  5,  4,  14,  16,  21, 16,  27,  36,  and 
82,  with  several  others  we  have  not  thought  it  necessary 
to  describe.  He  ranks  them  in  regard  to  relative  merit 
as  t^e  numbers  are  placed. 


Section  7. — ^Select  Plums. 

1.  Autumn  Gage,^  or  Rods  Autumn  Gage. — Medium 


336 


SELECT  TARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


size,  oval,  pale  yellow,  sweet,  juicy  and  good ; parts  from 
the  stone ; tree  a slow  grower,  but  very  productive.— 
Middle  to  end  of  September. 

2.  Bingham. — Large  and  handsome,  oval,  deep  yellow, 
with  a few  red  spots ; juicy  and  rich ; parts  from  the 
stone  ; tree  very  productive. — Beginning  of  September. 

3.  Bleeker^s  Gage. — Above  medium  size,  roundish  oval, 
yellowish ; flesh  yellow,  juicy,  and  rich ; parts  from 
the  stone ; tree  a fair  grower  and  productive. — Last  of 
August. 

4.  Cherry.,  or  Ea/rly  Scarlet. — Rather  small,  round,  red, 
very  pretty,  juicy,  soft,  sub-acid,  adheres  to  the  stone. — 
Last  of  July.  Makes  a very  pretty  dwarf  bush. 

5.  Coe^s  Golden  Drop. — Large  and  handsome,  oval,  light 
yellow,  flesh  Arm,  rich  and  sweet ; adheres  to  the  stone ; 
tree  a fair  grower  and  very  productive,  but  does  not  bear 
60  young  as  many  others  ; valuable  not  only  on  account 
of  its  large  size  and  flne  appearance,  but  its  lateness  and 
hanging  long  on  the  tree. — Last  of  September. 

6.  Columbia. — Large  and  handsome,  roundish,  purple, 
flesh  yellow,  juicy  and  rich ; parts  from  the  stone  ; tree 
vigorous  and  very  productive. — September. 

7.  Cruger'^s  Scarlet. — Medium  size,  roundish,  reddish 
lilac ; juicy,  but  not  rich ; an  extraordinary  bearer ; 
always  requires  thinning;  particularly  valuable  in  light 
soils ; profltable. — September. 

8.  Drap  d'^Or. — A fine  golden  yellow  plum,  somewhat 
resembling  the  old  green  gage ; very  good ; vigorous 
shoots,  a little  downy. — Early. 

9.  Drap  d^Or  d^Esperm. — A new  Belgian  variety, 
resembling  the  Washington,  and  probably  no  better. 
The  first  trees  were  sold  at  Ghent  in  1848  at  $10  each. 

10.  Diamond. — One  of  the  largest  and  most  produc- 
tive of  purple  plums,  but  coarse ; only  for  cooking. — 
September. 


PLUMS. 


337 


11.  Dennison^ s Red, — Large,  round  oval,  light  red,  flesh 
juicy  and  rich,  parts  from  the  stone. — End  of  August. 

12.  Dennison^s  Superb, — Pretty  large,  beautiful,  round, 
yellowish  green,  with  purple  dots  ; flesh  juicy,  rich,  and 
parts  from  the  stone ; tree  vigorous  and  productive. — End 
of  August. 

13.  Duane\  Purple, — ^Yery  large  and  handsome,  oval, 
reddish  purple ; flesh  juicy  and  sweet,  adheres  to  the 
stone ; tree  a good  grower  and  very  productive. — ^Begin- 
ning of  September. 

14:.  Emerald  Drop, — Medium  size,  oval,  yellowish 
green  ; flesh  juicy  and  good,  adheres  slightly  to  the  stone ; 
a good  grower  and  profuse  bearer. 

15.  Eellenberg, — A fine  late  plum,  oval,  purple ; flesh 
juicy  and  delicious,  parts  from  the  stone ; fine  for  drying ; 
tree  veiy  productive. — September. 

16.  Frost  Gage, — Rather  small,  round,  purple ; an  im- 
mense bearer  ; very  late  ; profitable  for  market. — October, 

17.  Green  Gage, — Small,  but  of  the  highest  excellence ; 
tree  a slow  grower. — Middle  of  August. 

18.  German  Prune  (Quetsche). — Large,  long  oval,  dark 
purple,  blue,  free,  fine  for  drying,  and  good  to  eat ; grows 
spontaneously  in  Germany. — September. 

19.  Gen.  Hand, — One  of  the  largest  American  varie- 
ties, introduced  by  Messrs.  Sinclair  & Corse,  Balti- 
more. It  is  of  a golden  yellow  color,  sweet  but  not  high 
flavored. — First  of  September.  Will  be  valuable  for  the 
market,  as  it  is  very  productive,  besides  being  so  attrac- 
tive in  size  and  beauty. 

20.  Ghjbthrids  Apricot, — Medium  size,  yellow,  has  the^ 
flavor  of  the  Apricot ; of  Scotch  origin. — End  September.. 

21.  Huling'^s  Superb, — Large  and  handsome,  round,  yel- 
lowish green;  flesh  juicy,  rich  and  fine  flavored,  parts 
freely  from  the  stone ; tree  grows  weJli  and  is  very  produce 
tive. — Middle  of  August. 


338 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


22.  Ichworth  ImperaPrice, — An  English  late  variety,  pnf 
j>le,  flesh  juicy,  sweet  and  rich  ; may  be  kept  into  winter, 

23.  Imperial  Gage, — Large,  oval,  greenish  ; flesh  juicy, 
rich  and  delicious,  parts  from  the  stone  ; one  of  the  best 
grow’^ers,  most  productive,  and  best  of  plums  ; profitable 
for  market. — Middle  of  August. 

24.  Ives^  Seedling. — Raised  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Ives,  of  Salem, 
Mass. ; large,  roundish,  oblong,  yellow,  mottled  with  red, 
melting  and  rich ; freestone. — First  of  September.  Tree 
a strong,  rapid  grower. 

25.  Jaune  Hative. — A nice  little  yellow  plum,  ripening 
last  of  July ; earliness  is  its  chief  quality. 

26.  Jefferson, — A new  American  variety,  of  the  high- 
est reputation ; yellow,  wdth  a red  cheek  ; flesh  orange- 
colored,  juicy  and  rich,  parts  from  the  stone  ; an  excellent 
variety,  but  we  have  never  seen  it  superior  to  the  Impe- 
rial Gage. — End  of  August. 

27.  Kirhs  (from  England). — A large,  fine,  violet  fruit, 
rich  and  sugary ; freestone. — September.  Shoots  stout 
and  smooth,  like  those  of  the  red  mag.  bon. 

28.  luGomVs  Nonsuch  (English). — A large,  roundish, 
greenish  plum,  nearly  as  large  and  as  good  as  the  Wash- 
ington. 

29.  Lawrences  Favorite. — Large,  roundish,  yellowish 
green ; flesh  juicy,  melting,  and  rich,  parts  from  the 
stone ; tree  vigorous  and  very  productive. — Middle  and 
end  of  August. 

30.  Lombard. — Medium  size,  oval,  violet  red ; flesh 
yellow,  juicy,  and  pleasant ; a great  bearer,  and  said  to 
be  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  light  soils. — End  of  August. 
Profitable  for  market. 

31.  Long  Scarlet.,  or  Scarlet  Gage. — Medium  size,  ob- 
long, bright  red  ; flesh  juicy,  sweet  when  fully  ripe, 
adheres  to  the  stone ; tree  a good  grower,  and  a most 
abundant  bearer. — End  of  August. 


7LUMS. 


339 


32.  Magnum  Bonum^  Yellow. — A very  .arge  and 
beautiful  egg-shaped  yellow  plum ; a little  coarse,  but 
excellent  for  cooking ; tree  vigorous  and  very  productive. 
— End  of  August.  Profitable. 

33.  Magnum  Bonum.^  Bedj. — Large  and  beautiful,  egg 
shaped,  violet  red  ; of  second  quality,  valuable  for  cook 
ing ; tree  vigorous  and  productive. — End* of  August.  Pro- 
fitable for  market. 

34.  Mamelonne. — A curious  looking,  distincf  fruit ; 
round,  with  a neck  like  a pear,  greenish,  similar  in  qua- 
lity and  season  to  the  green  gage  ; tree  vigorous,  and  pro- 
ductive ; new  from  France. 

35.  Mirabelle. — A small,  round,  yellow  .plum,  very 
prolific  and  fine  for  preserving. — August  and  September. 

36.  Mirahelle  d'^Octohre. — A late  variety  recently  re- 
ceived from  France ; very  hardy  and  prolific. 

37.  Orange.— OiiQ  of  the  largest  varieties,  oval,  yellow, 
rather  coarse  ; tree  vigorous  and  very  productive. — First 
of  October.  Profitable  for  market. 

38.  Orleans  Early . — Medium  size,  round,  purple  ; flesh 
sweet  and  good ; tree  a great  bearer. — Middle  of  August. 

39.  Orleans  SmiWs. — -A  very  large  and  excellent  va- 
riety, oval,  reddish  purple,  with  a thick  coat  of  bloom ; 
flesh  yellow,  firm,  juicy,  and  rich ; tree  vigorous  and  very 
productive. — Last  of  August.  Profitable  for  market. 

40.  Peach. — A very  large  and  beautiful  plum,  round- 
ish, dull  red;  flesh  a little  coarse  ; tree  very  productive. — - 
End  of  August. 

41.  Prune  d'^Agen.^  or  Robe  de  Sergent. — A new  French 
variety,  first  quality  for  drying ; tree  very  prolific  \ 
medium  size,  purple,  sweet,  and  good. — September. 

42.  Purple  FavoHte. — Medium  size,  brownish  purple ; 
flesh  juicy,  melting,  and  sweet;  one  of  the  very  best  of 
plums ; tree  a slow  grower. — Beginning  of  September. 

43.  Purple  Gage  (Peine  Claude  Yiolette)> — ^Mediiina 


540 


8EI.ECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


size,  roundish,  violet,  with  a blue  bloom,  rich,  sugary,  and 
fine ; freestone ; hangs  long  on  the  tree,  and  shrivels  in 
ripening  : shoots  smooth. — September  and  October. 

44.  Red  Diaper  (Diapree  Eouge,  French). — One  of 
the  finest  of  all  plums,  brownish  red,  dark  in  the  sun, 
freestone.  End  of  August.  Hangs  long  on  the  tree.  This 
is  called  Mimms  in  England,  and  is  different  from  the 
Eed  Diaper  of  some. 

45.  Reine  Claude  de  Bavay  (Esperin). — The  best  new 
foreign  variety,  as  large  as  the  Washington,  and  in  flavor 
equal  to  the  green  gage  ; roundish,  oval,  greenish,  mark- 
ed with  red  in  the  sun  ; tree  vigorous  and  remarkably 
productive. — Middle  of  September.  Hangs  long  on  the 
tree. 

46.  Schenectady  Catharine, — Eather  below  medium 
size,  purple  ; flesh  melting,  sweet  and  excellent. — Middle 
of  August.  It  is  said  to  reproduce  itself  from  seed  with- 
out variation. 

47.  St.  Man^tin^s  Quetsche  (German). — Medium  size, 
oval,  pale  yellow,  juicy  and  rich. — September.  Hangs 
long  on  the  tree ; bears  the  most  abundant  crops  ; fine  for 
drying ; very  profitable. 

48.  Thomas  (of  Boston). — Large,  roundish,  oblong, 

amber  colored,  juicy  and  good. — September.  Shoots 

stout,  a little  downy,  a great  bearer,  and  very  handsome. 

49.  Washington. — A magnificent,  large  plum  ; round- 
ish, green,  usually  marked  with  red  ; juicy,  sweet  and 
good  ; tree  vigorous  and  exceedingly  productive  ; one  of 
the  very  best. — End  of  August. 

50.  Winter  or  Late  Damson. — A small,  dark  purple 
variety,  esteemed  for  preserving. — October. 

51.  Yellow  Gage. — Large,  yellow,  oval ; flesh  yellow, 
juicy,  and  rich ; tree  remarkably  vigorous  and  produc- 
tive ; an  excellent  and  profitable  variety. — Middle  of 
August. 


CUKRAIfTS. 


341 


SMALL  SELECT  LlS^rS  OF  PLUMS. 

F(yt  tlie  Garden, — Nos.  17,  23,  26,  29,  39,  42,  43,  45, 5. 
Foi^  Market,— 16,  23,  32,  33,  39,  49. 

For  Drying, — Nos.  15,  18,  41,  47. 


THIRD  DIVISION.— BERRIES. 

CURRANTS,  GOOSEBERRIES,  RASPBERRIES  STRAWBERRIES,  BE& 

BERRIES,  BLACKBERRIES,  MULBERRIES,  GRAPES,  AND  FIGS. 

Section  8. — Select  Currants. 

The  currant  is  a most  useful  fruit,  indeed  indispen- 
sable to  every  garden,  large  or  small ; it  fills  a space  of  a 
couple  of  weeks  after  the  strawberries,  raspberries,  and 
cherries,  and  before  the  apricots,  early  apples,  and  pears ; 
and  besides  this,  it  possesses  such  a remarkable  combination 
of  sweet  and  acid,  as  fits  it  for  an  almost  endless  variety 
of  useful  and  agreeable  preparations,  both  in  the  green 
and  ripe  state. 

The  white  varieties  are  mildest  flavored,  and,  therefore, 
better  for  using  in  a raw  state  when  ripe.  The  red  are 
preferable  for  jellies,  etc.,  on  account  of  their  beautiful 
color. 

1.  Black  English,^  or  common  black,  well  known. 

2.  Black  Naples, — ^The  largest  and  best  black  currant ; 
bears  profusely ; valuable  for  jam  and  jellies ; bunches 
short,  milder  flavored,  and  later  than  the  preceding. 

3.  Cherry, — Largest  of  all  currants,  exceeding  an  inch 
in  circumference,  bunches  short,  color  dark  red,  ripens 
same  time  as  Red  Dutch,  shoots  stout,  short  jointed  and 
erect,  foliage  thick,  dark  green,  slightly  folded,  and 
bluntly  and  coarsely  serrated. 


342 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUm. 


4.  Red  Dutch, — A well  known  variety,  bunches  three 
inches  long  or  more  ; fine. 

5.  Red  Knighfs  Sweet, — Similar  to  the  preceding,  but 
of  rather  a milder  acid. 

6.  Victoria  or  Houghton  Castle, — Very  large,  bright 
red,  bunches  five  or  six  inches  long  ; hangs  on  the  bushes 
after  others  are  gone ; distinguished  at  once  by  its  re- 
markably long  bunches,  and  bright  red  color,  and  by  the. 
foliage,  which  is  quite  distinct,  dark  green,  coarsely  and. 
bluntly  serrated,  quite  fiat,  and  frequently  refiexed  or 
turned  backwards  at  the  edges ; the  shoots  are  not  so  stout 
and  erect  as  those  of  the  cherry. 

7.  White  Dutch, — Yellowish  white,  transparent,  milder 
than  the  red,  and  better  for  using  raw ; excellent. 

8.  White  Grape. — Larger  every  way  than  the  preced 
ing ; the  largest  white  currant ; growth  rather  spreading, 
foliage  thicker,  deeper  green,  and  more  reflexed. 

9.  Missouri  Yelloio  Flowering, — Fine  yellow,  fragrant 
flowers,  and  sweet  fruit  of  a violet  blue. 

10.  Missouri  Large  Fruited, — Large,  blue,  svreet  fruit, 
very  pleasant. 

The  two  last  are  seldom  cultivated  for  the  fruit. 

11.  Long  Bunched  Red  Dutch  (Grosse  Rouge  de  Hol- 
land).— ^This  is  a variety  we  received  lately  from  France, 
and  it  promises  to  be  valuable.  There  are  several  sorts 
imder  cultivation,  more  or  less  unworthy  of  notice,  unless 
to  those  who  are  making  large  collections. 


Section  9. — Gooseberries. 

The  following,  from  the  large  English  sorts,  have  all 
proved  excellent. 

1.  Red, — Albion,  Crownbob,  Echo,  Houghton’s  Bog- 
gart, Ironmonger,  Lancashire;*  Red,  Prince  Regent,  Roar 


RASPBERRIES. 


843 


ing  Lion,  Shakspeare,  Sportsman,  Top  Sawyer,  Wine- 
berry,  Young’s  Wonderful. 

2.  White, — Chorister,  Fleur  de  Lis,  Leigh’s  Toper, 
Queen  Caroline,  Smiling  Beauty,  Whitesmith,  Welling- 
ton’s Glory,  White  Muslin,  etc. 

3.  Green. — Berrier’s  Greenwood,  Chipendale’s  Con- 
quering Hero,  Green  Mountain,  Green  Yale,  Green  Wil- 
low, Green  Ocean,  Independent,  Jolly  Cutler,  Massey’s 
Heart  of  Oak,  Profit. 

4.  Yellow. — Bunker  Hill,  Capper’s  Early  Sulphur,  Gol- 
den Drop,  Husbandman,  etc. 

5.  Houghton^ s Seedling. — Raised  in  Massachusetts  from 
the  seed  of  a native  variety ; it  is  small  and  rather  indif- 
ferent in  fiavor,  but  is  not.  subject  to  the  mildew,  and 
bears  most  abundantly,  small,  oval,  dull  brownish  red. 

The  following  sorts  were  recommended  by  the  Pomo- 
logical  Congress : Houghton’s  Seedling,  Whitesmith, 

Crownbob,  Red  Champagne,  Warrington,  Laurel,  Iron- 
monger, Early  Sulphur,  Green  Gage,  Green  Walnut. 

Section  10. — Select  Raspberries. 

1.  Antwerp Red. — ^This  is  an  excellent  variety,  and 
very  popular  in  market ; three  quarters  of  an  acre  of  land 
on  the  Hudson,  planted  with  it,  have  yielded  $330 ; and 
three  acres  in  the  same  locality,  $1,500  in  one  season. 
The  berry  is  large,  conical,  dark  red,  rich  and  juicy ; canes 
have  a few  small,  purple  spines. 

2.  Antwerp.^  Yellow  or  White. — Fruit  large,  pale  yel- 
low, sweet  and  rich ; a beautiful  and  excellent  fruit,  but 
not  so  firm  and  so  well  adapted  to  marketing  as  the  pre- 
ceding ; canes  thickly  covered  with  greenish  spines. 

3.  Fastolff. — Fruit  larger  and  rounder  than  the  Red 
Antwerp,  but  rather  softer ; of  a purplish  red,  canes  more 
spiny;  v?ry  hardy  and  productive. 


844 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


4.  Franconia, — Fruit  very  large,  of  a purplish  red,  ra* 
ther  darker  than  the  Eed  Antwerp  or  Fastolff;  canes  very 
strong,  with  a few  short  purple  spines,  and  thicker,  firmei 
and  smoother,  or  less  crimped  or  wrinkled  leaves  than 
any  of  the  others. 

6.  KncvetOs  Giant, — ^This  is  an  English  variety  of  the 
Red  Antwerp,  from  which  it  differs  only  in  being  some*' 
what  hardier. 

The  “ Col,  Wilder’^’^  and  Cushing^’^  are  two  seedling 
varieties  produced  by  Dr.  Brinkle,  of  Philadelphia,  that 
give  promise  of  superiority,  the  first  especially,  which  is 
described  as  a beautiful  cream-colored”  fruit  and  very 
hardy. 

The  American  Eed,  White  and  Black  are  well  known. 

6.  Large  Fruited  Monthly  (New). — Large  red,  bears 
in  favorable  weather  from  August  to  November;  canes 
long,  rather  slender,  purplish  in  the  sun,  and  pretty  thickly 
covered  with  dark  purple  spines ; quite  different  from  the 

Ohio  Everbearing,”  a worthless  variety. 

We  saw  fruit  on  this  in  January,  in  Mr.  Rivers’  nur- 
sery, in  1848.  If  the  autumn  be  dry,  the  plant  should  be 
watered  occasionally ; and  to  ensure  a good  autumn  crop, 
the  canes  should  be  pruned  in  spring  to  within  a foot  of 
the  ground. 

Section  11. — Select  Strawberries. 

Those  strongly  pistillate  or  deficient  in  stamens  are 
marked  (p). 

1.  Alpine,^  Red  Monthly, — Small,  high-fiavored  variety, 
and  highly  valuable  in  all  collections,  on  account  of  bear- 
ing a long  time. 

2.  Alpine,,  White  Monthly, — As  above,  except  color. 

3.  Alpine,,  Red  Bush, — ^These  have  no  runners,  like 


STRAWBERRIES. 


34ri 


other  varieties,  and  are  well  adapted  to  edging  walks  in 
the  kitchen  garden.  They  are  small,  but  of  delicious 
flavor,  and  continue  bearing  till  autumn. 

4.  Alpine^  White  Bush. — Same  as  above,  but  in  color. 

5.  British  Queen  (Myatt’s). — The  most  magnificent  in 
appearance  of  all  strawberries,  often  measuring  six  or 
seven  inches  in  circumference  ; but  it  is  a shy  bearer  and 
rather  tender ; plant  very  luxuriant. 

6.  Bishop^ s Orange, — Rather  large,  light  orange  scarlet, 
productive  and  fine  fiavored  (p). 

7.  Boston  Pine, — Large  light  red,  good,  hardy  and  ex- 
ceedingly productive ; with  plenty  of  room  and  good  cul- 
ture the  yield  is  very  great. 

8.  Burr’^s  Seedling, — A very  prolific  medium  sized  va- 
riety; hardy  and  of  fair  quality;  from  Ohio. 

9.  Bu/rr'^s  New  Pine. — Large,  light  orange,  scarlet; 
of  the  highest  and  most  delicious  flavor  uniformly ; plant 
hardy  and  productive ; one  of  the  very  best  sorts  (p) 
Ohio. 

10.  Burras  Rival  Hudson, — Medium  size,  dark  red, 
rather  acid;  valuable  for  marketing  and  preserving; 
hardy  and  productive  (p).  Ohio. 

11.  Burras  Golumhus, — Large,  hardy  and  productive; 
flavor  medium  (p).  Ohio. 

12.  Burr'^s  Scarlet  Melting, — A very  pretty  light  scar- 
let fruit,  and  a most  profuse  bearer,  but  very  tender ; not 
fit  for  marketing. 

13.  Black  Prince, — A large  and  beautiful  fruit,  of  a 
dark  blackish  crimson  color ; variable  in  quality ; some 
seasons  first  rate,  others  insipid ; hardy  and  productive  (p). 

14.  Climax  Scarlet, — Medium  size,  conical,  slightly 
necked, light  scarlet,  rather  acid;  bears  immense  crops  (p^ 

15.  Duke  of  Kent, — Small,  with  a long  neck  ; very  pro- 
lific and  valuable  for  its  earliness  in  a large  collection. 

16.  Large,  roundish,  dark  crimson,  good; 

15* 


846 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


plant  very  luxuriant ; fruit  stalks  very  stout,  supporting  the 
fruit  well ; most  profuse  bearer,  rather  late. 

17.  Hudson, — Medium  size,  scarlet,  finn,  acid;  very 
productive,  and  esteemed  for  marketing;  grown  much 
around  Cincinnati  (p). 

18.  Hovey^s  Seedling, — A well-known  magnificent  berry; 
plant  hardy  and  luxuriant;  bears  large  crops  in  some 
places  and  seasons  (p). 

19.  Jenny'^s  Seedling — Very  large,  roundish,  dark 
scarlet,  flavor  medium,  plant  vigorous,  and  a moderate 
bearer  (p). 

20-  Large  Early  Scarlet, — An  excellent  standard  sort, 
light  scarlet,  rather  acid;  bears  uniformly  great  crops; 
early.  r 

21.  Monroe  Scarlet, — Large,  roundish,  light  scarlet, 
good;  very  prolific;  over  100  perfect  berries  have  been 
gathered  at  once  from  a single  plant  (p). 

22.  Orange  Prolific, — Large,  orange  scarlet ; rather 
acid,  but  a great  bearer  and  quite  late. 

23.  Princess  Alice  Maud, — A very  large  and  handsome 
English  variety ; very  productive,  but  of  indifferent  flavor. 

24.  Prolific  Hauthois. — A large,  purplish,  conical  fruit, 
with  a peculiar  musky  flavor,  very  productive ; plant 
grows  tall  and  luxuriant,  with  peculiar  crimped  foliage,  and 
has  very  large,  showy  blossoms ; a distinct  species ; late. 

25.  Swainstonds  Seedling, — A very  large  and  beautiful 
fruit,  of  the  most  delicious  flavor;  color  light  shining 
scarlet,  ripens  gradually ; a poor  bearer ; English. 

26.  Scotch  Pine  Ajpfile,^  or  Crimson  Cone, — One  of  the 
most  beautiful  varieties  in  appearance ; medium  size,  uni- 
form, regularly  conical,  rich  dark  crimson ; seeds  deeply 
imbedded,  giving  the  surface  a rasp-like  appearance; 
rather  acid  but  good,  and  very  productive. 

Nos.  7,  9, 18  and  20  are  the  best  for  general  cultivation: 
for  a larger  collection,  Nos.  5,  17  and  25,  besides  the 


BLACKBERRIES. 


347 


alpines,  may  be  added ; Nos.  14,  16,  21,  22  are  new  seed- 
lings produced  here  that  promise  well. 

The  wood  and  alpines  should  be  renewed  from  seed 
frequently. 

Section  12. — ^Berberries. 

EPTN.-VINETTE  OF  THE  FRENCH, 

Vommvn  Red. — ^This  is  everywhere  well  known  ; grown 
not  only  for  the  fruit,  which  is  used  for  preserves,  jellies  and 
pickles,  but  for  ornament.  The  bright  scarlet  oval  fruit  is 
borne  in  rich  clusters,  and  hang  on  till  late  in  the  autumn. 

SweetrFruited  (Berberis  dulcis). — ^The  fruit  of  this  is 
much  less  acid  than  the  common.  The  plant  is  not  so 
vigorous. 

Besides  these,  there  are  several  species  and  varieties 
cultivated  chiefly  for  ornament : The  White-fruited.^  The 
Violet-fruited.^  The  Variegated-leaved.^  foliage  marked 
with  yellow  ; The  Purflerleaved.^  the  most  unique  and 
ornamental  of  all,  with  beautiful  violet-purple  foliage. 

They  are  all  easily  propagated  by  layers  or  suckers,  and 
the  rare  sorts  by  grafting. 

Section  13. — ^Blackberries. 

The  Imrproved  High  Bush. — ^This  Blackberry  is  begin- 
ning to  receive  considerable  attention.  The  Massachu- 
setts Horticultural  Society  has  offered  large  premiums  to 
encourage  its  culture,  and  the  result  already  has  been 
great  improvement.  Capt.  Lovett,  of  Beverly,  has  pre- 
sent specimens  an  inch  and  a half  long.  It  bids  fair  to 
become  a valuable  and  popular  fruit.  The  berry  is  long, 
egg-shaped,  shining  black,  juicy,  and  rich,  the  plant  erect, 


348 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


blossoms  white,  ripens  at  a most  timely  season,  after  the 
Raspberry. 

Section  14. — Mulberries. 

Black, — ^This  is  a native  of  Persia,  and  is  really  the 
only  one  valuable  for  its  fruit.  The  berry  is  an  inch  and 
a half  long,  and  nearly  an  inch  in  diameter,  black,  suc- 
culent, sugary  and  rich.  The  tree  is  highly  ornamental, 
very  erect,  with  a large  spreading  head.  The  leaves 
appear  late  in  spring,  are  large,  heart-shaped,  sometimes 
lobed,  deep  green,  and  form  a dense  shade. 


Section  15.— Grapes. 

SELECT  HARDY  GRAPES. 

1.  Catau^a, — ^This  is  the  best  flavored  of  all  native 
grapes  that  ripen  as  far  north  as  lat.  43  deg.,  and  is  con- 
sidered the  best  yet  discovered  for  making  wine.  Bunches 
large ; berries  large,  red,  becoming  a coppery  color  when 
ripe ; juicy,  sweet,  and  musky ; hardy,  and  very  pro- 
ductive. 

2.  Clinton, — A very  hardy,  native  variety,  resembling 
in  foliage  the  common  Fox  Grape.  Bunches  small  and 
very  compact ; berries  rather  small,  black,  juicy,  inferior 
in  flavor  to  the  preceding.  It  ripens  here  two  or  three 
weeks  before  the  Isabella  or  Catawba,  and  this  is  its  chief 
value ; very  productive. 

3.  Diana, — ^This  is  a variety  that  originated  near  Boston, 
similar  to  the  Catawba ; not  quite  so  large,  but  earlier  and 
better  adapted  to  the  north. 

4.  Isabella, — ^This  is  the  most  popular  variety.  It  ripens 
well  in  almost  every  part  of  the  country,  and  bears 
livimense  crops  under  the  most  ordinary  management. 


GRAPES. 


349 


Bunches  long  and  large ; berries  large,  oval,  black,  juicy, 
sweet,  slightly  musky. 

SELECT  FOREIGN  GRAPES. 

1.  Black  Cluster, — Small,  roundish  oval,  black,  sweet 
and  good ; bunches  small,  very  compact ; one  of  the 
hardiest  and  best  for  open  air  culture ; early. 

2.  Black  Prince, — Large,  oval,  black;  bunches  long, 
rather  open ; sweet  and  fine ; a profuse  bearer. 

3.  Black  Frontignan, — Berries  medium  size,  round, 
black,  bunches  long  ; fiavor  rich  and  musky  ; prolific. 

4.  Black  Hamburg, — A fine  grape,  and  a general 
favorite  for  the  vinery ; bunches  are  large,  very  much 
shouldered — that  is,  branched ; berries  large,  deep  black, 
sweet  and  rich. 

5.  Chasselas  de  Fontainbleau, — ^This  is  esteemed  the 
finest  table  grape  in  France,  and  succeeds  admirably  here 
in  vineries,  and  occasionally  in  the  open  air.  Bunches 
large,  somewhat  shouldered ; berries  large,  round,  greenish 
white,  becoming  slightly  colored  or  reddened  in  the  sun  ; 
canes  stout,  of  a yellowish  color ; leaves  large  and  shining ; 
very  productive.  The  Golden  Chasselas  is  very  similar 
to,  if  not  identical  with  this. 

6.  Grizzly  Frontignan, — ^This  is  one  of  the  most  deli- 
cious grapes  when  growm  in  the  vinery,  and  very  beau- 
tiful too.  Bunches  long,  slightly  shouldered*;  berries 
medium  size,  round,  colored  red  and  violet-purple  in  the 
sun ; rich,  musky  fiavor. 

7.  White  Frontignan  (Muscat  Blanc  of  the  French). — 
One  of  the  oldest  varieties  ; bunches  pretty  large  ; berries 
roundish,  changing  from  green  to  amber  as  they  ripen  in 
the  sun ; rich  and  quite  musky ; later  than  the  preceding. 

8.  White  Muscat  of  Alexandria, — ^This  is  a most  deli- 
cious variety,  considered  the  same  as  the  imported 


350 


SELECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRIjrrS. 


‘^Malaga.”  Bunches  large,  branched  and  loose;  beriies 
.arge,  oval,  white,  becoming  amber ; firm  and  rich,  witl 
a high  musky  flavor;  growth  vigorous;  leaves  shining 
and  deeply  lobed. 

9.  White  Sweetwater, — ^This  and  the  Black  Cluster  are 
the  most  common  foreign  varieties  in  this  country. 
Bunches  of  good  size,  open;  berries  of  medium  size, 
round,  green,  becoming  slightly  colored  in  the  sun;  sweet 
and  watery ; occasionally  produced  in  tolerable  perfection 
in  the  open  air. 

The  Bornological  Congress  at  New  York,  in  1849, 
recommend  for  culture  under  glass.  Nos.  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 

Section  16. — Figs. 

Very  little  is  known  here  from  experience  of  the  par- 
ticular qualities  of  the  different  kinds  of  figs.  Several 
varieties  have  been  tested,  and  are  grown  successfully  in 
the  Boston  graperies.  The  varieties  most  desirable  foi 
out-door  culture  for  their  hardiness  are : 

The  Brown  Turlcey, — Large,  oblong,  pear-shaped  ; skin 
dark,  brownish  purple ; flesh  red,  leaves  large. 

Black  Ischia, — Medium  size,  roundish,  dark  violet, 
nearly  black  ; flesh  deep  red,  sweet  and  fine.  This  is  one 
of  the  most  productive  varieties. 

Violette  de  Bordeaux  (Figue  poire  de  Bordeaux. — 
Large,  long,  pear-shaped,  brownish  red;  flesh  reddish, 
medium  quality  ; extensively  cultivated  about  Paris  for 
its  productiveness  and  hardiness. 

White  Marseilles, — Small,  roundish,  nearly  white ; flesh 
white;  not  quite  so  hardy  as  the  preceding  sorts,  but 
very  productive ; one  of  the  most  abundant  in  the  Paris 
markets. 

Upwards  of  forty  varieties  are  described  in  the  London 


CHESTNUTS. 


S5I 

Horticultural  Society’s  catalogue  ; fifteen  are  described  in 
Downing’s  Fruit  and  Fruit  Trees. 


FOURTH  DIVISION.— ALMONDS,  CHESTNUTS,  FILBERTS  AND 
WALNUTS. 

Section  17. — Almonds. 

1.  Sweet  Hard  Shell. — ^This  is  a hardy  and  productive 
variety,  succeeding  well  in  the  climate  of  Western  New 
York,  and  still  fartlier  north.  Nut  very  large,  with  a hard 
shell  and  a large  sweet  kernel ; ripe  here  about  the  first 
of  October. 

The  tree  is  very  vigorous,  has  smooth  glaucous  leaves, 
and  when  in  bloom  in  the  spring,  is  more  brilliant  and 
showy  than  any  other  fruit  tree. 

2.  Soft  Sweet  Shell Ladies^  Thin  Shelly  etc. — ^This  is 
the  almond  of  the  shops,  of  w^hich  such  immense  quan- 
tities are  annually  imported  from  abroad.  It  and  all  its 
sub-varieties,  as  far  as  we  know,  are  too  tender  for  our 
northern  climate,  unless  carefully  grown  on  a wall  or 
trellis,  and  protected.  South  of  Virginia,  we  believe,  it 
succeeds  well ; and  so  beautiful  a tree,  and  so  estimable 
a fruit,  deserve  the  attention  of  all  fruit  growers. 

3.  The  Bitter  This  is  hardy  and  productive; 

nut  similar  to  No.  1 in  appearance,  but  bitter,  and  only 
useful  in  confectionery  or  medicine.  Its  chief  product  is 
the  prussic  acid  of  the  druggists. 

Seotton  18. — Chestnuts. 

The  Amerimn  or  Common  Chestnut  is  well  known 
as  one  of  our  most  beautiful  forest  trees.  It  is  seldom 
grown  as  a fruit  tree,  although  the  fruit  is  highly  es- 
teemed. 


352 


SEI.ECT  VARIETIES  OF  FRUITS. 


It  should  have  a place  in  all  large  collections  of  stand- 
ard fruit  trees.  It  reproduces  itself  from  seed. 

The  Dwarf  Chestnut  or  Chinquapin^  is  a small  tree 
eight  or  ten  feet  high,  and  very  prolific,  but  the  nuts  are 
small.  It  grows  spontaneously  in  Maryland,  Yirginia, 
and  southward. 

The  Spanish  Chestnut  or  Marron, — ^Tliis  is  the  large, 
sweet  nut,  as  large  as  a horse  chestnut,  imported  from 
abroad.  There  are  many  varieties  cultivated  in  France 
and  England,  but  that  designated  by  the  French  as 

Marron  de  Lyonf  is  the  best.  It  is  propagated  by 
grafting  on  the  common  sorts.  It  is  not  reproduced  truly 
from  seed,  but  its  seedlings  produce  large  and  fine  fruits. 
It  bears  and  ripens  well  as  far  north  as  Rochester.  It 
bears  the  second  year  from  the  graft  and  the  fourth  from 
seed. 

Section  19. — Filberts. 

1.  Cosford, — ^This  is  an  improved  variety  of  the  Eng- 
lish hazel-nut,  very  prolific,  nut  large,  oblong  or  oval, 
shell  thin,  and  kernel  fine  flavored. 

2.  Coburg, — Large  and  fine,  and  a most  abundant 
bearer. 

3.  Dwarf  Prolific. — One  of  the  most  prolific  bearers, 
nut  rather  small.  We  have  plants  two  feet  high  bear- 
ing well,  kernel  good. 

4.  Frizzled. — Remarkable  for  its  curious  frizzled  husk, 
a good  bearer,  and  one  of  the  finest  flavored. 

5.  Red  Shinned. — One  of  the  old  standard  sorts  of  the 
English  growers,  distinguished  by  the  bright  red  or  crim 
son  skin  of  the  kernel,  medium  size,  egg-shaped,  shell 
thick,  flavor  good. 

6.  White. — This  is  also  an  old  standard  sort,  the  kernel 
is  a yellowish  white.  Both  this  and  the  preceding  have 
long  liusks. 


WALNUTS. 


3S3 


Section  20. — ^Walnuts. 

The  English  or  Madeira  Nut  (Juglans  Eegia). — ^This  is 
a native  of  Persia.  A lofty  spreading  tree  with  pinnated 
leaves  like  the  butternut,  and  the  fruit  nearly  as  large. 
Great  quantities  are  annually  imported,  and  sold  in  the 
fruit  shops. 

The  tree  is  tender  while  young,  the  ends  of  the  yoimg 
shoots  being  injured  in  winter  at  the  north,  but  as  it 
grows  older  it  becomes  hardier.  It  is  produced  from 
seed  or  by  grafting.  There  are  many  varieties  of  it  cul- 
tivated abroad,  few  of  which  have  yet  been  introduced 
here  on  account  of  the  little  attention  given  to  this  class 
of  fruits. 

The  Dwarf  Prolife  Walnut  (Juglans  Prseparturiens), 
is  a French  variety  recently  introduced,  which  will  pro- 
bably become  the  most  desirable  for  the  garden.  It  bears 
at  the  age  of  three  years  from  the  seed,  and  often  at  the 
height  of  two  to  three  feet.  We  have  now  two  imported 
trees,  four  feet  high,  that  give  promise  of  an  abundant 
crop.  The  kernel  is  said  to  be  very  good. 

Our  native  sorts,  the  Black  Walnut  (Juglans  Nigra), 
the  Butternut  (Juglans  Cinerea),  the  Hickory  Nut  (Carya), 
and  its  varieties,  are  all  well  known  trees  that  deserve 
much  more  attention  than  they  receive,  considering  the 
value  of  their  timber  as  well  as  fruit. 


CHAPTEE  n. 


GATHEKING,  PACK^G,  TEANSPORTATION  AISTD  PRE- 
SERVATIOlSr  OP  FRUITS. 

This  is  a branch  of  the  general  subject  of  fruit  culture 
and  management  that  requires  the  most  careful  attention  ; 
for  it  is  quite  useless  to  take  pains  in  producing  fine  fruits, 
without , taking  equal  pains  in  gathering,  preserving,  and 
Bending  them  to  the  table  or  the  market  in  a sound, 
sightly,  and  proper  condition.  Yery  few  fruit  growers 
seem  to  appreciate  this  part  of  their  business.  Fruit 
dealers  at  home  and  abroad  complain  of  the  careless  and 
slovenly  manner  in  which  our  fruits  are  gathered,  packed, 
and  presented  in  the  market,  and  would  gladly  pay  a dou- 
ble price  for  them  in  a better  condition.  The  first  con- 
sideration is — 

The  period  of  maturity  at  which  fruits  should  he 
gathered- — ^The  stone  fruits  generally  are  allowed  to  reach 
perfect  maturity,  or  within  four  or  five  days  of  it,  on  the 
tree. 

In  moist,  cool  seasons  particularly,  they  are  benefited 
by  being  gathered  a few  days  before  maturity,  and  allow- 
ed to  ripen  in  a dry,  warm  room ; they  part  with  the 
water  contained  in  their  juices,  which  thus  become  better 
elaborated  and  more  sugary  and  high  fiavored. 

Summer  Pears^  too,  on  the  same  principle,  require  to 
be  gathered,  as  a general  thing,  from  a week  to  a fort- 
night before  their  maturity  Sweet  varieties,  and  such  as 


GATHERING  FRUITS,  ETC. 


355 


are  inclined  to  become  mealy ^ are  entirely  worthless  when 
ripened  on  the  tree,  and  many  very  excellent  varieties 
are  condemned  on  this  account.  Such  as  these  should  be 
gathered  the  moment  the  skin  begins  to  change  color  in 
least  degree. 

Summer  Apples^  too,  and  especially  those  inclined  to 
mealiness^  should  be  picked  early ; as  soon  as  the  skin 
begins  to  change  color,  otherwise  they  part  with  their 
juices,  and  become  worthless.  Ripeness  is  indicated  by 
the  seeds  turning  dark  colored,  and  by  the  stem  parting 
readily  from  the  tree  when  it  is  lifted  upwards. 

^yinter  Apples  and  Pears  should  be  allowed  to  remain 
on  the  trees  as  long  as  vegetation  is  active,  or  imtil  frosts 
are  apprehended. 

Grapes^  Berries^  O&c.,  are  allowed  to  attain  perfect 
maturity  before  being  gathered. 

Chestnuts^  FiWerts^  c&c,^  are  not  gathered  until  they 
begin  to  fall  from  the  tree. 

Mode  of  Gathering, — Unless  it  be  a few  specimens 
wanted  for  immediate  use,  which  maybe  taken  with  some 
of  the  contrivances  mentioned  under  the  head  of  imple- 
ments, all  fruits  should  be  gathered  by  the  ha/nd.  The 
branch  to  be  gathered  from  should  be  taken  in  one  hand, 
and  the  fruits  carefully  taken  off,  one  by  one,  with  the  other, 
with  their  stems  attached.  (For  fruits  neither  keep  so  well, 
nor  look  so  well,  without  the  stems.)  They  are  then  laid 
carefully  in  single  layers  in  broad  shallow  baskets,  the  bot- 
toms of  which  should  be  covered  wdth  paper  or  moss,  to 
prevent  bruises.  Peaches  and  other  soft  fruits  should  be 
pressed  as  lightly  as  possible,  for  anything  like  a squeeze 
is  certainly  followed  by  decay  in  the  form  of  a brown 
spot,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  it  is  so  exceedingly  diffi- 
cult to  find  a perfectly  sound  and  at  the  same  time  ripe 
j^x^ach  in  our  markets. 

\Vheii  more  than  one  layer  of  fruit  is  laid  in  the  same 


856 


GATHERING  FRUITS,  ETC. 


basket,  some  soft  paper,  dry  moss,  hay,  or  other  material, 
ought  to  separate  them,  for  it  is  difficult  to  place  one  layer 
immediately  upon  another,  and  especially  if  the  fruits  are 
approaching  maturity,  without  bruising  them  more  or  less. 
Fruit  should  only  be  gathered  in  dry  weather,  and  in  the 
dry  time  of  the  day. 

Disposition  of  the  Fruits  after  gathering, — When  they 
are  thus  in  the  baskets,  if  summer  fruits,  they  are  either 
carried  into  the  fruit  room  and  arranged  on  shelves  or 
tables  in  thin  layers,  or  they  are  carefully  transferred  one 
by  one  into  market  baskets  and  carried  to  market  on  an 
easy  spring  wagon,  if  not  by  steamboat  or  railroad,  by 
which  jarring  or  jolting  will  be  avoided.  Treated  in  this 
manner,  they  will  be  in  a marketable  condition,  and  one 
basket  will  sell  for  as  much  as  four,  carelessly  picked, 
thrown  into  baskets,  and  tumbled  out  of  them  into  a barrel 
or  wagon-box. 

E-ipe  fruits  may  be  kept  in  good  condition  for  a consi- 
derable period  of  time,  in  an  ice-house,  or  in  some  of  the 
recently-invented  fruit  preservers,  and  even  in  very  cool 
dry  cellars.  The  vessels  in  which  they  are  deposited, 
should  be  perfectly  clean,  that  no  unpleasant  flavor  may 
be  imparted  to  them.  Peaches  have  been  sent  to  the  East 
Indies,  *by  being  properly  packed  in  ice ; and  it  may  be 
that  methods  of  packing  and  preserving  will,  before  long, 
be  discovered,  that  will  give  us  access  to  the  markets  of 
other  countries,  even  for  our  perishable  summer  fruits. 
We  have  seen  Seckel  pears  in  a very  good  state  of  preser- 
vation in  January,  exhibited  in  the  horticultural  society’s 
rooms  in  Boston.  The  science  of  ripening  and  preserving 
fruits  is  but  in  its  infancy,  and  horticultural  societies 
that  have  the  means  will  be  doing  a great  public  service 
by  offering  liberal  premiums  that  will  incite  to  experiment 
on  the  subject. 

Winter  Fruits  intended  for  long  keeping  are  transferred 


PACKING  FRUITS,  ETC. 


357 


by  hand  from  the  baskets  in  which  they  are  gathered  on 
the  tree,  into  larger  ones  in  which  they  can  be  carried  into 
a dry  cool  room,  where  they  are  laid  in  heaps,  which  may 
be  three  or  four  deep,  where  they  may  remain  for  a couple 
of  weeks,  during  which  time  they  will  have  parted  with 
considerable  moisture  and  be  quite  dry.  They  will  then 
be  fit  for  packing. 

Clean,  new  barrels  should  be  procured,  and  the  fruits 
should  be  carefully  assorted.  For  shipping  to  distant  or 
foreign  markets,  the  hest  only  should  be  selected;  all 
bruised,  wormy,  knotty  specimens  being  laid  aside  for 
home  consumption.  They  are  then  placed  in  the  barrels, 
by  hand,  arranged  regularly  in  layers,  so  that  no  spaces 
will  exist,  by  which  the  fruits  may  shift,  roll,  or  knock 
against  one  another.  The  barrels  are  then  tightly  headed 
up,  so  that  the  head  presses  firmly  on  the  fruits ; some 
people  recommend  placing  a layer  of  clean  moss  or  soft 
paper,  both  on  the  bottom  and  top  of  the  barrel ; but  this 
is  not  necessary  where  the  packing  and  heading  are  per- 
formed carefully.  After  packing,  the  barrels  must  be 
sent  to  market  in  such  a manner  as  never  to  be  jolted  or 
rolled,  any  more  than  they  would  be  on  men’s  shoulders, 
or  an  easy  spring  wagon  or  sled,  or  by  a water  convey- 
ance. 

On  shipboard  the  barrels  should  be  placed  in  the  coolest 
and  dryest  place.  It  is  perfectly  idle  to  gather,  pack  or 
ship  fruits  in  any  other  way  than  this  to  foreign  markets. 
American  apples  are  frequently  sold  in  Liverpool  at  auction 
for  half  what  they  would  have  sold  for  in  New  York,  on 
account  of  their  bad  condition.  I saw  this  in  1849,  wher 
Newtown  pippins  were  selling  at  twelve  and  a half  cents 
a-piece  in  the  fruit  shops. 

Winter  fruits  for  Jurme  consvniyotion  should  be  care 
fully  assorted,  keeping  the  best,  the  poorest,  the  sound, 
the  bruised,  and  the  earlier  and  later  ripening  varieties 


358 


GATHERING  FRUITS,  ETC. 


all  separate  ; when  sound  and  bruised,  early  and  late,  are 
all  thrown  together  promiscuously,  they  cannot  fail  to 
decay  speedily  and  to  lose  their  flavor ; for  two  or  three 
decaying  apples  in  a heap  or  barrel  will  taint  the  flavor 
of  all,  and  hasten  the  decay  of  those  around  them.  This 
arrangement  into  grades  and  classes  is,  therefore,  absolute- 
ly necessary  even  for  the  fruits  needed  for  family  use ; and 
when  they  are  so  arranged,  the  sound,  long  keepers  are  put 
into  clean,  new  barrels,  carefully  by  hand,  and  the  barrels 
headed  up  tightly  and  placed  in  a cool  dry  cellar  or  fi  uil 
room.  The  bruised  ones  can  be  laid  in  a place  by  them- 
selves for  immediate  use.  Every  barrel,  when  packed 
should  be  marked. 

Winter  Pears^  as  a general  thing,  require  to  be  brought 
into  a warm  temperature  one  or  two  weeks  before  they 
are  wanted  for  table  use.  All  the  baking  and  stewing 
and  even  many  of  the  table  varieties,  may  be  treated 
exactly  like  apples. 

Packing  Pears  for  distant  markets, — ^The  French  send 
away  more  pears  to  foreign  markets  than  any  other  peo- 
ple. Some  small  importations  of  their  winter  sorts  have 
actually  been  made  by  some  of  the  New  York  fruit 
dealers  the  present  winter,  1850-51.  They  pack  them  in 
small  boxes,  either  round  or  square,  such  as  a man  can 
lift  and  carry  easily  in  his  hands. 

They  cover  the  bottom  and  sides  with  very  dry  moss 
or  soft  dry  paper,  well  calculated  to  absorb  moisture. 
They  then  wrap  each  fruit  in  the  dry,  soft  paper,  and  lay 
them  in  layers,  the  largest  and  least  mature  in  the  bottom, 
and  All  all  the  interstices  with  dry  moss  or  paper.  I have 
seen  these  boxes  opened  in  London,  in  the  flnest  con- 
dition, after  being  a month  packed.  They  are  so  tightly 
packed  that  the  slightest  movement  cannot  take  place 
among  them,  and  yet  no  one  pr  ’^cs  upon  another.  The 


PRESERVATION  OF  FRUITS. 


359 


dry  m(>S8  and  paper  that  separate  them,  absorb  any  mois- 
ture ; and  if  one  decays  it  does  not  affect  others. 

Some  of  the  Paris  confectioners  and  restaurant  keepers 
preserve  fruits  very  successfully  in  barrels,  packed  in  lay- 
ers, and  the  interstices  filled  up  with  powdered  charcoal. 
The  barrels  are  kept  in  a dry,  cool  place,  about  forty 
degrees,  where  they  are  not  subjected  to  changes  of  tem- 
perature. Apples,  pears,  grapes,  almonds,  nuts,  and  pota- 
toes, are  all  preserved  in  this  manner. 

Fruit  Rooms. — A fruit  room  is  a structure  set  apart 
exclusively  for  the  preservation  of  fruit.  Its  great  requi- 
sites are,  perfect  security  from  moisture  or  dampness,  ex- 
clusion from  light,  and  a uniform  temperature.  If  these 
points  are  obtained,  no  matter  where,  how,  or  of  what 
material  the  fruit  room  be  constructed.  It  may  be  built 
of  stone,  brick,  clay,  or  wood,  above  or  below  ground,  as 
circumstances  or  taste  may  dictate. 

A good,  dry,  and  cool  cellar,  is  as  good  a place  for 
keeping  fruit  in  as  can  be  provided  ; but  the  great  objec- 
tion to  cellars  used  for  other  purposes  is,  that  currents  of 
air  are  frequently  admitted,  and  too  much  light,  by  which 
the  temperature  is  changed,  decay  promoted,  or  the  fruits 
dried  and  shrivelled.  There  are,  also,  other  objects  that 
unavoidably  saturate  the  air  more  or  less  with  moisture. 

Where  a fruit  room  is  built  on  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
it  should  be  on  the  ice-house  principle  of  double  walls  and 
doors,  to  prevent  access  of  either  heat  or  cold  from  with- 
out. A good  cellar  or  cave,  built  in  a dry,  sandy,  or 
gravelly  bank,  or  side  hill,  will  answer  every  purpose. 
The  w^alls  may  be  of  stone,  brick,  or  timber ; the  roof  should 
be  thick,  with  a slope  sufficient  to  throw  off  water  freely, 
and  the  earth  about  should  also  be  so  graded  that  water 
will  ffow  away  as  fast  as  it  falls.  Provision  may  be 
made  for  lighting  and  ventilating  in  the  roof,  and  the 
floor  or  doors  should  be  double. 


860 


PBESERVATION  OF  FEUTTS. 


The  interior  Bhould  be  fitted  up  with  shelves  and  binns, 
with  places  for  barrels  or  other  articles,  in  which  fruits 
are  packed. 

Attention  to  fruits  m the  cellar  or  fruit  room. — ^The 
decay  of  fruits  is  caused  either  by  bruises  or  by  a fungus, 
or  species  of  mildew,  that  increases  rapidly  and  attacks 
all  the  sound  fruits  within  its  reach.  It  is,  therefore, 
necessary  to  examine  fmits  frequently,  and  remove  all 
that  show  any  symptoms  of  decay,  before  they  have 
either  affected  others  or  tainted  the  atmosphere  of  the 
room. 


CHAPTEE  III 


DISEASES  AND  INSECTS. 

Section  1. — ^Diseases. 

1.  T/ie  Fire  Blight  of  the  Pear^  Apple^  cmd  Quince. — 
This  is  one  of  the  most  formidable  diseases  to  which  fruit 
trees  are  liable.  Whether  it  is  caused  by  the  sun,  the 
atmosphere,  or  an  insect,  remains  in  doubt,  some  cases 
favoring  one  opinion,  some  another.  It  attacks  the  trees 
at  different  periods  of  the  growing  season,  from  June  to 
September,  and  generally  in  the  young  parts  first ; the 
leaves  flag,  the  sap  becomes  thick  and  brown,  oozing  out 
in  globules  through  the  bark,  and  emitting  a very  dis- 
agreeable odor,  and  the  diseased  branch  or  part  turns 
black,  as  if  it  were  burned  by  fire.  When  the  pear  tree 
is  attacked  it  is  difficult  to  save  it,  the  disease  spreads  so 
rapidly.  In  the  apple  and  quince  it  is  less  fatal,  rarely 
killing  more  than  a portion  of  the  tree  even  if  left  to  its 
own  course.  The  only  remedy  is,  to  cut  away  instantly 
the  blighted  parts,  into  the  sound  wood,  where  there  is 
not  the  slightest  trace  of  the  disease,  and  burn  them  up 
mmediately. 

It  is  thought  by  some  that  young  trees  growing  very 
.'apidly  are  more  subject  to  it  than  older  trees  growing: 
Jowly ; and  that  warm  sunshine,  with  a sultry  atmosphere 
after  rain,  is  apt  to  be  followed  by  much  blight.  We 
have  always  regarded  the  cases  favoring  such  an  opinion 
Hs  accidental. 


16 


362 


DISEASES  AlTD  INSECTS. 


2.  Pear  leaf  Blight. — ^This  disease  has  already  been 
alluded  to  in  treating  of  pear  seedlings.  It  is  a sort  of 
rust  that  appears  on  the  leaves  in  July  or  August,  first  as 
small  brcwn  spots  ; these  spread  rapidly  over  the  leaves 
until  they  are  completely  dried  up  and  growth  stopped. 
It  appears  in  a certain  spot  as  a centre,  from  which  it 
spreads.  Whether  it  be  an  insect,  a fungus,  or  some 
atmospherical  cause  that  produces  this  blight,  is  unknown. 
Certain  cases  favor  one  or  other  of  these  opinions.  More 
minute  in  vestigations  are  wanted  on  the  subject. 

To  avoid  its  evil  effects  as  far  as  possible,  the  great 
point  is,  to  get  a rapid,  vigorous  growth,  before  midsum- 
mer, w^hen  it  usually  appears.  Seedlings  grown  in  new 
soils  do  not  appear  to  be  so  much  affected  as  in  old. 
Where  stocks  are  affected  very  early  in  the  season,  they 
become  almost  worthless,  on  account  of  the  feebleness 
produced  in  both  stem  and  roots  by  such  an  untimely  and 
unnatural  check.  Some  special  applications,  such  as  coal 
cinders,  iron  filings,  copperas,  etc.,  have  been  suggested, 
but  no  evidence  has  yet  been  produced  of  their  efficacy. 

3.  The  Gu7n  in  stone  fruits. — ^The  cherry,  plum,  apricot, 
and  peach,  are  all  more  or  less  subject  to  this  malady. 
The  cherry  is  particularly  liable  to  it  in  the  West.  It  is 
produced  by  different  causes,  such  as  a wet  soil,  severe 
pruning,  pruning  at  an  improper  time,  violet  changes  of 
temperature,  etc.  The  gumming  of  the  cherry  in  the 
West,  is  considered  by  some  to  be  owing  in  a great  mea- 
sure to  the  bark  not  yielding  naturally  to  the  growth  of 
the  wood,  and  hence  they  practise  longitudinal  incisiouK. 
on  it.  The  cherry  tree  has  a very  powerful  bark,  and  in 
gome  cases  it  may  not  yield  naturally  to  the  expansion  or 
growth  of  the  wood.  We  have  seen  about  a foot  of  the 
trunk  of  a cherry  tree,  several  inches  smaller  than  the 
parts  both  above  and  below  it.  The  bark  was 
as  smooth  as  glass  on  it,  the  first  rind  being  unbroken. 


DISEASES. 


363 


vrliilst  on  the  large  parts  this  was  quite  rough.  This  was 
a case  arising  from  the  obstinacy  of  the  bark,  and  could 
only  be  remedied  by  longitudinal  incisions  on  the  small 
part. 

It  is  most  probable  that  the  extent  and  severity  of  this  dis- 
ease in  the  West  is  owing  to  violent  changes  from  a hard  frost 
to  a bright  sun  and  rapid  thaw,  by  which  the  sap  becomes 
deranged,  and  accumulates  in  masses.  Trees  that  are 
branched  near  the  ground,  will  be  less  likely  to  su^er 
than  those  with  tall  bare  trunks.  Where  it  has  made 
S(une  progress  in  any  tree,  the  only  remedy  is  to  pare  off 
the  diseased  bark,  clean  off’  all  the  gum,  and  let  the  sur- 
face dry  up  ; then  apply  a plaster  of  grafting  compo- 
sition, or  a solution  of  gum  shellac  in  alcohol,  put  on 
vvdth  a brush,  as  recommended  by  Mr.  Downing. 

When  the  stone  fruits  are  pruned  severely  in  the  spring, 
tlie  sap  does  not  find  sufficient  vent ; it  accumulates  in 
masses  and  bimts  the  bark.  This  fact  should  always  be 
kept  in  view  in  pruning,  and  a suflacient  supply  of  active 
buds  be  left  to  absorb  the  sap. 

4.  The  Yellows  in  the  Peach, — ^This  is  supposed  to 
arise  from  negligent  cultivation.  It  exhibits  itself  in  a 
yellow,  sickly  foliage,  feeble  shoots,  and  small  fruits  pre- 
maturely ripened.  It  is  said  to  be  contagious.  Trees 
exhibiting  these  symptoms  should  instantly  be  destrr)yed. 
To  avoid  it,  care  should  be  taken  to  propagate  from  trees 
in  perfect  health  and  vigor. 

5.  Mildew  on  the  Peach. — The  young  shoots,  leaves, 
and  even  the  fruit  of  certain  varieties,  and  especially  the 
glandless  ones,  such  as  Early  Anne.^  Early  Tillotson.^  etc.,, 
are  attacked  by  this.  The  only  remedies  are,  to  give  the 
trees  a (iry,  good  soil,  that  will  keep  them  in  a vigorous 
condition,  and  to  syringe  freely  twice  a day  when  it  begins 
to  appear.  The  gooseberry  suffers  seriously  from  the  mil- 
dew, owing  mainly  to  the  heat  of  our  summers.  To 


S64 


DISEASES  AND  INSECTS. 


Northern  New  York,  in  Maine,  Vermont,  and  Lower 
Canada,  the  finest  large  English  varieties  are  brought  to 
greater  perfection  than  in  warmer  districts,  and  with  good 
culture  almost  come  up  to  the  English  standard.  In  a 
cold,  damp-bottomed  soil  at  Toronto,  almost  on  a level 
with  Lake  Ontario,  fine  crops  are  produced  with  compara- 
tively little  difficulty  from  mildew  or  rust.  This  would 
indicate  as  a remedy,  a cool  soil  and  situation,  and  mulch- 
ing the  roots  to  keep  them  cool.  The  plants  should  be 
renewed  every  three  or  four  years,  and  they  should  be 
kept  vigorous  by  liberal  manuring  and  good  culture. 

6.  The  Plum  Waii  or  Black  Knot, — ^The  cause  of  this 
disease  is  quite  uncertain,  but  tlie  probability  is  that  it 
originates  in  a similar  way  to  the  gum,  from  an  imperfect 
circulation  of  the  sap,  induced  by  violent  changes  of  tem- 
perature.* Cutting  out  the  diseased  branch  clean  to  the 
sound  wood,  the  moment  the  knots  begin  to  appear,  is  an 
effectual  remedy,  and  they  should  all  be  burnt  up.  We 
have  saved  trees  six  inches  in  diameter,  that  were  affected 
on  the  trunk  so  seriously,  that  one  third  of  its  thickness 
had  to  be  removed  to  get  below  the  disease.  After  it  was 
cut  out,  we  applied  a plaster  of  grafting  composition, 
covered  it  with  a cloth,  and  in  two  years  it  was  all  healed 
over  and  sound. 

Plum  trees  are  so  neglected  in  the  country,  that  multi- 
tudes of  them  are  now  standing  literally  loaded  with  these 
warts — not  even  an  inch  of  any  branch  free  from  them — 
the  most  disgusting  objects  in  the  way  of  fruit  trees  that 
can  possibly  be  imagined. 

6.  The  Curl  of  the  leaf  in  the  Peach, — ^This  disease 
causes  the  leaves  to  assume  a reddish  color,  to  become 

* We  have  observed  that  cold  weather,  about  the  blossoming  period,  in- 
duces the  gum  in  plum  trees  as  well  as  in  the  peach,  and  when  it  continues 
long,  as  in  1849-50  in  Western  New  York,  there  is  an  unusual  development 
of  it. 


INSECTS. 


365 


thl'.k,  curled,  and  deformed,  and  finally  to  perish.  It  is 
supposed  by  many  to  be  caused  by  insects;*  but  it  is 
really  induced  by  a sudden  change  of  weather. 

A number  of  warm  days,  that  cause  the  expansion  of 
the  young  leaves,  followed  by  a cold  rainy  day,  is  almost 
sure  to  produce  it  to  some  extent ; and  the  more  severe 
and  protracted  the  cold,  the  more  extensive  and  fatal  it  is. 
The  peach  trees  in  Western  New  York  suffered  more  from 
this  in  1849-50  than  in  the  ten  years  previous,  owing  to 
a protracted  cold  time  in  each  season  after  the  young 
tender  leaves  had  expanded.  In  both  these  seasons  the 
check  was  so  severe,  as  not  only  to  produce  this  disease  in 
its  worst  form,  but  the  gum  also ; for  the  sap  not  being 
absorbed  by  the  leaves,  became  stagnant,  sour,  and  cor- 
roded, and  burst  the  bark.  Trees  in  sheltered  gardens 
suffer  less  than  those  in  exposed  orchards.  There  is  no 
possible  way  of  guarding  against  this ; and  the  only 
remedy  known  to  us  is,  to  pick  off  the  diseased  leaves  the 
moment  the  weather  changes,  that  new  healthy  ones  may 
be  produced. 

Section  2. — ^The  Principal  Insects  injurious  to  FRurr 

Trees. 

1.  Aphis  or  Plant-Louse, — ^There  are  several  kinds  of 
these.  The  two  most  troublesome  to  fruit  trees  are  the 
green  and  black,  small  soft  insects  that  appear  suddenly 
in  immense  quantities  on  the  young  shoots  of  the  trees, 
suck  their  juices,  and  consequently  arrest  their  growth 
The  apple,  pear  and  cherry,  are  especially  infested  with 
them.  They  multiply  with  wonderful  rapidity.  It  is  said 
that  one  individual  in  five  generations  might  be  the  pro- 
genitor of  six  thousand  millions.  Were  it  not  that  they 

* Prof.  Harris  says  in  his  Treatise  on  Insects,  that  it  is  caused  by  plant* 
lice  puncturing  the  under  sides  of  the  leaves. 


366  DISEASES  AND  INSECTS. 

are  easily  destroyed,  they  would  present  an  obstacle  almost 
insuperable  in  the  propagation  and  culture  of  trees. 

There  are  many  ways  of  accomplishing  their  destruc- 
ion.  Our  plan  is  to  prepare  a barrel  of  tobacco  juice, 
by  steeping  stems  for  several  days  until  the  juice  is  a 
dark  brown,  like  strong  beer ; we  then  mix  this  with  a 
solution  of  soft  soap  or  soap  suds.  A pail  is  filled  with 
this,  and  the  ends  of  the  shoots  where  the  insects  are 
assembled  are  brought  down  and  dipped  into  the  liquid. 
One  dip  is  enough.  Such  parts  as  cannot  be  dipped  are 
sprinkled  liberally.  It  is  applied  to  the  heads  of  large 
trees  by  means  of  a hand  or  garden  syringe.  It  should 
be  done  in  the  evening.  The  liquid  may  be  so  strong  as 
to  injure  the  foliage,  hence  it  will  be  well  for  persons 
using  it  the  first  time  to  test  it  on  one  or  two  subjects 
before  applying  it  extensively.  This  application  must  be 
repeated  as  often  as  any  of  the  aphides  make  their  appear- 
ance. The  dry  weather  of  midsummer  is  generally  the 
time  most  favorable  for  their  appearance. 

2.  The  Woolly  Aphis  or  American  Blight. — This  is  a 
small  insect,  covered  with  a white  woolly  substance  that 
conceals  its  body.  They  infest  the  apple  tree  in  particu- 
lar, both  roots  and  branches,  living  upon  the  sap  of  the 
bark,  and  producing  small  warts  or  granulations  on  it  by 
the  punctures.  They  are  more  particularly  troublesome 
on  old  rough-barked  trees,  as  they  lodge  in  the  crevices, 
and  are  difficult  to  reach.  The  wind  carries  them  from 
one  place  to  another  by  the  light  down  in  which  they  are 
enveloped,  and  thus  they  spread  quickly  from  one  end  of 
a plantation  to  the  other.  U ot  a moment  should  be  lost 
in  destroying  the  first  one  that  makes  its  appearance. 
Where  the  bark  is  rough  it  should  be  scraped  smooth,  if 
the  roots  be  affected  the  earth  should  be  removed,  and 
every  part  washed,  and  every  crevice  filled  with  the  fol- 
lowing }.’ reparation,  recommended  in  Harris’s  Treatise: 


nsrsEcn's. 


367 


Two  parts  of  soft  soap  and  eight  of  water,  mixed  with 
lime  enough  to  bring  it  to  the  consistency  of  thick  white- 
wash, to  be  put  on  with  a brush.”  A solution  of  tw'o 
pounds  of  potash  in  seven  quarts  of  water  will  answer 
the  same  purpose.  Fresh  earth  should  be  put  upon  the 
roots. 

3.  The  Scaly  Aphis  or  Baric  Louse. — ^This  is  a dark 
brown  scale  insect,  that  infests  the  bark  of  the  apple  tree. 
They  are  of  a dark  brown  color  just  like  the  bark,  and 
are  not  easily  seen  unless  looked  for.  They  attach  them- 
selves closely  to  the  bark,  and  sometimes  are  so  numerous 
as  to  form  a complete  coating.  They  seldom  appear  on 
thrifty  growing  trees  in  good  soil ; but  where  the  soil  is 
damp  and  cold,  and  the  trees  growing  feebly,  this  insect 
may  be  looked  for.  June  is  the  time  to  destroy  them, 
when  they  are  young.  At  other  times  they  are  hard,  and 
able  to  resist  any  ordinary  remedy.  The  same  applica- 
tion recommended  for  the  aphis,  applied  to  them  with  a 
hard  brush,  will  effect  their  destruction.  Where  they 
have  been  left  for  a long  time  undisturbed,  and  have 
pretty  well  covered  the  tree,  the  quickest  and  best  remedy 
is  to  destroy  tree  and  all.^  unless  it  possesses  some  extraor- 
dinary claim  for  indulgence.  Prof.  Harris  mentions 
having  found  a reddish  browm  bark  louse  on  his  grape- 
vine, arranged  in  rows  one  behind  another  in  the  crevices 
of  the  bark. 

4.  The  Apple  Tree  Borer  is  a very  troublesome  insect 
in  some  sections  of  the  country.  In  Western  New  York 
we  have  never  met  with  it  but  in  two  or  three  instances, 
in  very  old,  neglected  orchards,  that  had  stood  for  twenty 
years  in  grass.  The  beetle  is  striped  brown  and  white, 
and  is  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long.  It  deposits  its 
eggs  in  June,  in  the  bark  of  the  trees  near  the  ground. 
Here  the  larva  is  hatched,  becoming  a whitish  grub, 
which  saws  its  way  into  the  tree,  perforating  it  in  all 


S68 


DISEASES  AND  INSECTS. 


directions,  sometimes  completely  girdling  it.  The  most 
effectual  method  to  destroy  them  is,  to  insert  the  end  of  a 
wire  into  their  burrow,  and  killing  them.  The  same 
means  are  taken  to  guard  against  them  as  against  the 
peach  tree  grub,  viz.,  placing  a mound  of  ashes  around 
the  base  of  the  trunk  in  the  spring,  and  allowing  it  tc 
remain  until  after  the  season  in  which  the  beetles  deposit 
their  eggs.  It  prevents  them  from  reaching  the  soft  bark 
at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  the  place  usually  selected. 
It  is  stated  in  Downing’s  Fruit  and  Fruit  Trees,  that  ‘Hhe 
beetles  may  be  destroyed  in  June  by  building  small  fires 
K)f  shavings  in  different  parts  of  the  orchard.” 

5.  The  Apple  Worm, — ^The  apple  moth  deposits  its 
*eggs  in  the  eye  or  calyx  of  the  young  fruit;  the  grub  is 
there  hatched,  and  eats  its  way  into  the  fruit,  leaving  be- 
hind it  a brownish  powder.  Sometimes  the  apples  drop 
before  they  are  half  grown,  and  occasionally  remain  unti^ 
they  acquire  a premature  ripeness.  Early  apples  are  more 
affected,  generally,  than  late  ones,  probably  because  in  n 
more  forward  state  when  the  eggs  are  deposited. 

When  the  fruit  falls  the  grub  immediately  leaves,  pre 
pares  itself  a place  in  some  crevice  of  the  bark  of  the  tree, 
and  spins  a thin  paper-like  cocoon,  in  which  it  spends  the 
winter,  to  come  out  the  following  spring  and  reproduce  it- 
self. There  are  but  two  ways  of  destroying  them ; one  is. 
at  pruning  time  in  March,  to  search  carefully  for  the 
cocoons  and  destroy  them,  and  the  other  is  to  pick  up 
promptly  all  fallen  wormy  fruits  and  destroy  them.  These 
two  means,  industriously  followed,  will  greatly  diminish 
the  amount  of  wormy  fruit,  the  increase  of  which  is  excit- 
ing alarm. 

6.  The  Ga/rtTcer  Worm,—  This  insect  is  confined  chiefly 
to  New  England  ; we  have  never  seen  it  in  New  York. 

They  generally  emerge  from  the  ground  in  March. 
According  to  Professor  Harris,  some  rise  during  the  late 


INSECTS. 


369 


autumn  and  winter  months.  The  female  has  no  wings, 
but  crawls  up  the  tree,  and  lays  her  eggs  on  the  branches 
in  May,  in  clusters  of  60  to  100  in  each,  glued  to  each 
other  and  to  the  bark  by  a greyish  varnish  impervious  to 
water ; the  little  worms  fall  upon  the  leaves,  and,  when 
numerous,  devour  them  all,  leaving  only  the  mid-ribs. 
They  leave  the  trees  when  about  four  weeks  old,  and 
descend  into  the  ground.  Their  eifects  are  most  visible  in 
June,  when  the  trees,  divested  of  their  foliage,  appear  as 
if  scorched  by  fire. 

As  the  female  cannot  fly,  the  great  point  is  to  prevent 
her  from  crawling  up;  for  this  purpose  various  means 
have  been  tried  and  are  recommended.  One  of  the  most 
effectual  is  to  tie  strips  of  canvas  around  the  tree  and  cover 
it  with  tar,  renewing  the  tar  during  their  whole  season  of 
rising,  or  from  October  till  May.  Another  is,  to  make  a 
close  fitting  collar  of  boards  around  the  base  of  the  tree, 
and  keep  them  covered  with  tar.  Mr.  Jonathan  Dennis,  of 
Portsmouth,  Rhode  Island,  obtained  a patent  for  a circular 
leaden  trough  filled  with  oil,  which  proves  an  effectual 
preventive. 

7.  Caterpillars, — Of  these  there  are  many  kinds  that  are 
more  or  less  destructive  to  the  foliage  of  fruit  trees ; but 
the  Caterpillar,  described  by  Professor  Harris  as  the 
American  Tent  Caterpillar,  is  the  one  that  commits  such 
general  and  extensive  devastation  in  our  orchards,  and 
especially  in  certain  seasons.  The  moth  deposits  its  eggs 
in  July,  in  large  rings,  on  the  branches  of  the  trees ; 
these  remain  in  that  state  until  the  following  season,  when 
they  are  hatched  in  the  latter  end  of  May  or  beginning  of 
June.  Each  ring  produces  three  or  four  hundred  cater- 
pillars, and  these  weave  a sort  of  web  to  live  in.  The  ap- 
pearance of  a tree  with  three  or  four  of  these  tents  upon 
it,  and  the  leaves  completely  devoured,  is  really  frightful. 
There  are  two  ways  of  destroying  them:  one  is,  to  examine 


370 


DISEASES  AND  INSECTS. 


the  trees  carefully  in  February  or  March,  at  pruning  time, 
and  destroy  the  clusters  of  eggs  by  cutting  off  and  burn- 
ing the  branches  on  which  they  are  found.  Tlie  next  is 
to  destroy  the  caterpillars  in  their  tents  after  they  are 
hatched.  There  are  various  ways  of  doing  this,  according 
to  people’s  fancy  and  ingenuity.  The  quickest  and  most 
effectual  method  is  to  take  a ladder,  ascend  the  trees,  and 
remove  every  nest  with  the  hands.  The  early  morning 
should  be  chosen,  when  they  are  in  the  nests.  Some  put 
a round  brush  on  a pole  and  put  it  in  the  nests,  and  by 
giving  it  a few  turns  web  and  all  are  removed. 

8.  The  Cherry  and  Pear  Slug. — This  is  a most  destruc- 
tive insect.  They  appear  in  June  and  July  for  the  first, 
and  a second  brood  afterwards,  small,  slimy,  dark-brown 
slugs  on  the  upper  surfaces  of  the  leaves  of  the  cherry 
and  pear.  They  devour  greedily  the  parenchyma  of  the 
leaves,  leaving  only  the  bare  net- work  of  veins.  In  a 
short  time  growth  is  completely  stopped. 

Stocks  for  budding  require  careful  watching,  for  a day 
or  two  of  these  slugs  may  prevent  them  from  being  worked 
that  season.  We  destroy  them  by  throwing  fine  earth 
taken  up  with  the  hand  among  the  trees,  and  by  ashes  or 
slaked  lime,  when  the  earth  is  not  sufficiently  dry  and 
fine.  The  caustic  properties  of  lime  and  ashes  render 
them  more  certainly  destructive  to  the  slug,  and  they 
should  always  be  used  in  preference  to  common  earth, 
where  only  a few  trees  are  to  be  gone  over. 

A liberal  syringing  with  the  tobacco  and  soap  liquid 
recommended  for  the  aphis,  but  in  a weaker  state,  is  ser- 
viceable after  the  ashes  and  lime.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  one  application  will  seldom  be  sufficient.  Some  es- 
cape even  to  the  third  or  fourth ; but  in  all  cases  the  war- 
fare should  be  sustained  whilst  one  remains.  Like  the 
aphis  they  are  generally  most  troublesome  :n  warm  and 
dry  seasons. 


i]srsEc^r?. 


371 


9.  The  Ourculio  or  Plum  Weevil, — ^Tliis  is  a small  grey- 
ish brown  beetle  nearly  a quarter  of  an  inch  long ; the 
wing  covers  form  two  little  humps  on  the  back,  which  give 
it  a roundish  appearance,  and  it  has  a long  crooked  snout, 
well  adapted  to  its  destructive  propensities.  They  can 
fly,  but  are  not  active;  and  by  jarring  the  part  on  which 
they  stand,  suddenly,  they  fall  to  the  ground,  draw  in 
their  legs  and  ap])ear  dead.  It  deposits  its  egg  in  a 
semicircular  incision  which  it  makes  in  the  young  fruit ; 
it  there  hatches,  eats  into  the  fruit,  and  causes  it  to  fal 
while  yet  green.  It  is  the  most  troublesome  of  all  insects 
injurious  to  fruits.  In  some  places  it  destroys  the  entire 
crop  of  plums,  apricots,  and  nectarines,  and  attacks  even  the 
cherry  and  the  apple.  The  peach,  even,  is  not  wholly 
exempt,  notwithstanding  its  coat  of  dowm.  Almost  every 
remedy  that  ingenuity  can  devise  has  been  tried.  This 
whole  book  would  not  contain  what  has  been  written  on 
the  subject  in  one  year  alone.  Yet  no  complete,  efiectuai 
remedy  has  been  discovered.  The  strongest  liquid  appli- 
cations of  lime,  soap,  and  tobacco — the  most  powerful 
and  oiFensive  odors,  that  repel  any  other  insects,  are  en- 
tirely harmless  and  inoffensive  to  the  curculio.  There 
seem  to  be  really  but  two  means  worthy  of  being  re- 
sorted to.  One  is,  to  pave,  or  in  some  other  way  harden, 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  so  that  the  grubs  cannot  enter 
it  to  coinpiete  their  transformations.  This  is  found  effi- 
cient where  no  other  trees  are  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
not  paved.  We  have  seen  many  instances  where  good 
crops  were  obtained  by  this  mode.  Tlie  fact  that  they  are, 
as  a general  thing,  less  troublesome  in  stiff  clay  soils  than 
in  light  porous  ones,  is  alone  a proof  of  the  eflScacy  of  a 
stiff  or  impenetrable  surface  soil. 

Add  to  this  the  picking  up  of  fruit  containing  the  grub 
as  soon  as  it  drops  from  the  tree,  and  before  the  worm  has 
a chance  to  escape. 


372 


DISEASES  AJC^D  INSECTS. 


To  accomplish  both  these  ends,  some  people  have 
planted  their  plums  and  apricots  in  a small  enclosure  by 
themselves,  adjoining  the  hog-pen,  and  as  soon  as  the 
fruits  begin  to  drop,  these  animals  are  admitted,  and 
gather  all  up,  and,  at  the  same  time,  tread  the  ground  so 
firmly  that  it  is  almost  as  good  as  if  it  were  paved. 

This  is  probably  the  easiest  and  best  way  to  ensure  a 
crop  of  the  fruits  attacked  by  this  insect. 

Another  way  is,  to  jar  the  tree  daily  three  or  four  times 
a day,  from  the  moment  they  begin  to  appear,  which  is 
when  the  fruit  is  the  size  of  a pea,  until  they  have  disap- 
peared, or  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen,  when  it  is  no  longer 
attacked. 

Serious  injuries  have  been  inflicted  on  plum  trees,  by 
thoughtlessly  striking  the  bark  of  the  trunk  or  a large 
branch  with  a mallet  to  jar  the  trees.  The  safer  way  is 
to  strike  on  the  end  of  a cut  branch,  or  to  fix  a cushion 
of  some  soft  material  on  the  end  of  a short  stick,  and 
place  the  cushion  on  the  tree,  and  strike  the  other  end 
with  the  mallet.  The  insects  are  much  easier  jarred  off 
in  the  cool  of  the  morning  while  they  are  comparatively 
torpid. 

Before  commencing  to  jar  them  down,  a white  sheet  or 
cloth,  wide  enough  to  cover  all  the  ground  under  the 
branches,  should  be  spread  to  receive  the  insects  as  they 
fall,  so  that  they  may  be  destroyed.  This  was  recom- 
mended through  the  “ Genesee  Farmer,”  by  David 
Thomas,  twenty  years  ago. 

From  repeated  observations,  I am  inclined  to  believe 
that  it  is  quite  sensitive  to  cold,  for  it  is  well  known  that 
in  the  cool  of  the  morning  it  is  always  in  a comparative 
state  of  torpor  ; and  in  the  cold  seasons  of  1849-50,  when 
our  peach  trees  and  fruit  were  so  greatly  injured,  the 
ourculio  was  driven  off,  and  we  had  a most  abundant 
■crop  of  plums.  A cold  day  or  two  may  not  affect  it ; but 


mSECTS. 


373 


when  it  continues  for  two  weeks,  as  in  the  years  referred 
to,  it  seems  to  be  rendered  powerless  for  that  season. 

10.  Ants. — ^These  are  not  very  destructiv'e,  yet  they 
sometimes  do  considerable  injury  to  beds  of  seedlings,  by 
making  their  hillocks  among  them,  and  they  also  infest 
ripe  fruits. 

Boiling  water,  oil,  or  spirits  of  turpentine,  poured  on 
their  hillocks,  disperses  them  ; and  if  wide-mouthed  bot- 
tles, half  filled  with  sweetened  water  or  syrup,  be  hung 
among  the  branches  of  a tree  when  the  fruit  is  attaining 
maturity,  ants,  wasps,  flies,  and  beetles  of  all  sorts  that 
prey  greedily  upon  sweets,  will  be  attracted  into  them. 

Mr.  Downing,  who  recommends  this  as  a “ general  ex- 
tirpator suited  to  a”  situations,”  says,  ‘‘that  an  acquaint- 
ance caught  in  this  way,  in  one  season,  more  than  three 
bushels  of  insects  of  various  kinds,  and  preserved  his 
garden  almost  entirely  against  them.” 

A gentleman  in  Detroit,  who  was  very  careful  of  his 
garden,  informed  me  that  he  had  pursued  this  method 
of  trapping  insects  with  results  that  perfectly  astonished 
him.  He  had  to  empty  the  bottles  every  few  days  to 
make  room  for  more.  A very  good  way  of  trapping 
and  killing  ants  is,  to  besmear  the  inside  of  fiower  pots 
with  molasses,  and  turn  them  on  their  mouths  near  the 
hillock ; the  insects  will  soon  assemble  inside  on  the 
molasses,  when  they  are  easily  destroyed  by  a handful  of 
burning  straw. 

11.  The  Peach  Tree  Borer. — This  is  a most  destructive 
insect  when  allowed  to  increase  for  a few  years  without 
molestation.  We  have  seen  whole  orchards  of  fine  trees 
ruined  by  them.  They  sometimes  attack  even  young 
trees  in  the  nursery,  and  commit  serious  depredations  on 
their  collar,  rendering  them  in  many  cases  quite  unfit  for 
planting.  Their  multiplication  should  be  prevented  by 
all  possible  means.  The  eggs  are  deposited  in  summer 


374 


r)lSKASi:S  AND  INSEC5T8. 


on  the  base  of  the  trunk,  near  the  collar,  where  the  bark 
is  soft.  There  they  are  hatched,  and  bore  their  way 
under  the  bark  of  the  tree,  either  in  the  stem  or  root,  or 
both,  producing  an  eftusion  of  gum.  Where  trees  are 
already  affected,  the  proper  course  is,  to  remove  the  earth 
from  around  the  collar  of  the  root,  clean  away  the  gnm, 
destroy  any  cocoons  that  may  be  found,  trace  the  grub 
through  its  holes  in  the  tree,  and  kill  it ; then  fill  up 
around  the  tree  with  fresh  earth,  and  place  a shovelful  or 
two  of  ashes  around  the  base.  One  of  the  best  orchards 
in  the  vicinity  of  Rochester  was  at  one  time  nearly 
ruined  by  the  prevalence  of  tliis  grub,  when  it  changed 
proprietors,  and  the  present  one  adopted  and  followed  the 
plan  recommended  above,  until  there  is  not  the  trace  of 
one  left.  The  ashes  or  slaked  lime  should  be  applied 
every  spring,  and  at  the  end  of  summer  may  be  scattered 
about  the  tree ; both  ashes  and  lime  form  an  excellent 
dressing  for  the  peach. 

12.  The  Rose  Bug. — ^The  eggs  of  this  insect  are  laid  in 
the  earth,  where  they  are  hatched,  and  from  which  the 
bug  emerges  about  the  rose  season. 

In  some  seasons  and  in  some  localities  they  appear 
like  grasshoppers  in  vast  multitudes,  and  commit  extensive 
ravages,  not  only  on  the  rose  but  fruit  trees,  and  all  other 
green  things.  There  is  no  other  way  known  to  combat 
them,  but  to  crush  them  with  the  hand — to  spread  cloths 
around  the  trees,  and  shake  them  down  on  it,  and  kill 
them.  They  are  stupid,  sluggish  things,  and  fall  as 
though  they  had  no  life. 

In  some  cases  fruit  trees  have  been  protected  by  cover- 
in  er  them  with  millinet. 

13.  Leaf  Rollers. — In  May  and  June  these  insects  may 
be  found  on  the  leaves  of  fruit  trees,  and  especially  on  the 
pear;  tliey  form  themselves  a sort  of  cocoon  out  of  the 
leaf.  The  leaves  attacked  by  them  should  be  removed  and 


ANIMALS  INJUJUOUS  TO  FRUIT  TREES. 


375 


destroyed,  in  order  to  prevent  their  increase.  The  eggs 
are  deposited  on  the  young  leaves  by  some  of  the  multi- 
tudes of  spring  beetles. 


Section  3. — Animals  Injurious  to  Fruits  and  Frutt 
Trees. 

1.  Birds. — As  a general  thing,  birds  are  more  the 
friends  than  the  enemies  of  the  garden.  Many  of  them 
subsist  in  greater  part  on  insects,  and  thus  perform  ser- 
vices that  are  by  no  means  appreciated.  The  early  cher- 
ries are  generally  the  greatest  sufferers  by  them,  and 
various  devices  are  practised  to  frighten  them  away,  the 
most  cruel  of  which  is  shooting.  Moving  objects  resem- 
bling the  human  figure,  bits  of  looking-glass  or  tin  sus- 
pended among  the  branches,  etc.,  are  often  effectual. 
Dwarf  trees  are  easily  covered  with  thin  netting  support- 
ed on  poles  and  fastened  at  the  base  of  the  tree. 

2.  Field  'Mice. — -The  most  effectual  preventive  is 
clean  culture.  Leave  no  grass,  weeds,  rubbish,  or  heaps 
of  stones  around  the  garden  or  orchard,  and  the  mice  will 
seldom  be  troublesome.  Their  operations  of  girdling  are 
principally  carried  on  beneath  the  snow,  and  when  this  is 
firmly  trodden  down  as  soon  as  it  fails,  it  obstructs  their 
way.  A correspondent  of  the  Horticulturist”  states 
that  he  has  found  tin  tubes  fixed  around  the  base  of  the 
tree,  an  effectual  remedy ; and  Mr.  Hooker,  of  Rochester, 
has  successfully  driven  them  off  with  poison.  He  takes  a 
block  of  wood  six  inches  long  and  three  or  four  square, 
and  bores  it  lengthwi'se  with  an  inch  and  half  auger 
nearly  through,  and  places  in  the  lower  end  some  corn 
meal  and  arsenic.  He  places  these  blocks  among  the 
trees  mouth  inclined  downwards,  ‘‘  to  keep  the  powder 
dry” 


376 


DISEASES  AND  INSECTS. 


3.  Moles. — ^These  are  easily  poisoned  and  driven  off,  by 
putting  pills  of  flour  mixed  with  arsenic  into  their  holes, 
and  shutting  them  up.  We  have  seen  them  banished  by 
bits  of  dried  codfish  placed  in  the  entrance  of  their 
holes. 

4.  Cats  often  commit  serious  depredations  on  trees  by 
scratching  the  bark.  Quite  recently  we  saw  a large 
number  of  beautiful  fruit  trees  nearly  ruined  by  them. 
A few  briers  secured  around  trees  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
house,  where  they  frequent  most,  will  be  a sufficient  pro- 
tection. 

5.  Hogs. — It  is  not  generally  supposed  that  these  ani- 
mals will  attack  trees ; but  we  have  heard  of  a western 
farmer  who  turned  in  a large  number  of  them  to  consume 
the  corn  that  had  been  grown  in  his  young  orchard. 
When  the  corn  began  to  grow  scarce  they  attacked  the 
trees,  and  not  one  out  of  several  hundred  but  was  complete- 
ly girdled — the  bark  gnawed  off  as  far  up  as  the  brutes 
could  reach. 

Where  it  may  be  desirable  to  turn  hogs  into  an  orchard, 
unless  the  feed  be  very  abundant,  the  trees  should  be 
protected  around  the  base  with  thorns,  briers,  or  some 
prickly  brush. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


miRSEllY,  ORCHARD,  AHD  FRUIT  GARDEN  IMPLB- 
MENTS. 

The  following  are  the  principal  implements  used  in  the 
propagation,  pruning,  and  cultivation  of  fruit  trees : 

Section  L — Implements  of  the  Soil. 

The  Suhsoil  Plough  is  the  great  reformer  of  the  day  in 
the  preparation  of  soils  of  all  qualities  and  textures,  foi 
nursery,  orchard,  or  garden  trees.  It  follows  the  ordinary 
plough  in  the  same  furrow ; and  the  largest  size,  No.  2, 
with  a powerful  team,  can  loosen  the  subsoil  to  the  depth 
of  eighteen  inches.  No.  1 will  be  sufficient  in  clear  land 
when  the  subsoil  is  not  very  stiff. 

The  One-Horse  Plough. — Similar  to  the  common  plough 
used  by  farmers.  It  is  a labor-saving  implement  for  cul- 
tivating the  ground  among  nursery  trees  or  orchards 
closely  planted.  The  horse  should  be  steady,  the  man 
cai-eful,  and  the  whiffle-tree  as  short  as  possible,  that  the 
trees  need  not  be  bruised.  It  should  neither  run  so  deep 
nor  so  near  the  trees  as  to  injure  the  roots. 

The  Cultivator. — This  with  the  plough  obviates  the 
necessity  of  spade-work,  and,  in  a great  measure,  hoeing. 
If  the  ground  be  ploughed  in  the  spring,  and  the  culti- 
vator passed  over  it  once  every  week  or  two  during  the 
summer,  all  the  hoeing  necessary  will  be  a narrow  strip 


378  NURSERY  AND  FRUIT  GARDEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


of  a few  inches  on  each  side  of  the  row.  The  double 
pointed  steel-toothed,  with  a Avheel  in  front,  is  the  best. 

The  One-Horse  Cart, — ^This  is  an  indispensable  machine 
in  the  nursery  orchard,  or  large  garden.  Four-wheeled 
wagons  are  difficult  to  unload,  and  require  a great  deal  of 
space  to  turn  in.  The  cart  can  be  turned  in  a circle  of 
twelve  or  fourteen  feet,  and  the  load  discharged  in  a mo- 
ment, simply  by  taking  out  the  key  that  fastens  the  body 
to  the  shafts,  throwing  it  up  and  moving  the  horse  forward. 
Our  carts  are  about  six  feet  long  and  three  wide  in  the 
body,  shafts  six  feet  long,  wheels  four  and  a half  feet 
high,  and  tire  two  and  a half  wide  to  prevent  them  from 
sinking  into  the  ground.  The  box  is  about  a foot  deep, 
and  when  large  loads  are  to  be  carried  a spreading  board 
is  put  on  the  top  with  brackets.  Cost  from  $30  to  $50. 

The  Wheelbarrow  (fig.  132). — Every  man  who  has  a 
rod  of  ground  to  cul- 
tivate should  pos- 
sess this  machine. 

In  small  gardens  it 
is  sufficient  for  the 
conveyance  of  all 
manures,  soils,  pro- 

? /X  rig*  io:«. 

ducts,  etc.,  and  in  wheelbarrow, 

larger  places  it  is  al- 
ways needed  for  use,  where  a cart  cannot  go.  The  handles 
or  levers  should  be  of  ash  or  some  tough  wood,  and  the 
sides  and  bottom  of  any  light  wood.  The  wheel  is  soft 
wood,  shod  with  iron. 


Fig.  133. 

Spade. 

The  Spade  (fig.  133). — ^The  best  kinds  of  these  in  use 


impli:ments  of  the  boil. 


379 


ar^  A mes’  cast-steel ; excellent,  strong,  light  articles. 
They  work  clean  and  bright  as  silver.  There  are  several 
sizes.  For  heavy  work,  trenching,  draining,  raising  trees, 
etc.,  the  largest  should  be  used. 


Shovel. 

The  Shovel  (fig.  134). — ^This  is  used  in  mixing,  loading, 
and  spreading  composts  and  short  manures.  The  blade 
should  be  of  cast-steel. 


Digging  Fork,  or  Forked  Spad« 

The  Forlced  Spade  (fig.  135). — ^This  resembles  a fork. 
It  has  three  stout  cast-steel  tines,  at  least  an  inch  wide, 
and  pointed.  It  is  used  instead  of  a spade  to  loosen  the 
earth  about  the  roots  of  trees,  to  turn  in  manures,  etc., 
being  much  less  liable  to  cut  and  injure  them  than  the 
spade 


The  Dung  Forh  (fig.  136),- — ^There  are  several  kinds, 


380  NURSERY  AND  FRUIT  GARDEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


Those  of  cast-steel,  cut  out  of  a solid  plate,  with  three  or 
four  tines,  are  the  best,  light  and  durable.  It  is  the  only 
implement  proper  for  loading,  mixing,  or  spreading  fresh 
rough  manures  with  facility  and  despatch. 

The  Pick, — ^This  is  a useful,  and  even  indispensable 
implement  in  the  deepening  or  trenching  of  soils  with  a 
hard  subsoil  that  cannot  be  operated  upon  with  the  spade. 
It  consists  of  an  ash  handle,  and  a head  composed  of  two 
levers  of  iron  pointed  with  steel,  and  an 
eye  in  the  centre  for  the  handle. 

The  Garden  Line  and  Reel  (fig.  137). — 

The  line  should  be  a good  hemp  cord, 
from  one  eighth  to  one  fourth  of  an  inch 
in  diameter,  attached  to  light  iron  stakes 
about  eighteen  inches  long.  On  one  of 
the  stakes  a reel  is  attached.  This  is  turned 
by  means  of  a handle,  and  the  line  neatlv 

, , T Garden  Line  and 

and  quickly  wound  up.  Reel. 

The  Hoe, — This  is  a universal  instrument  in  this  coun- 
try. In  some  cases,  all  the  gardening  operations  are  per- 
formed with  it.  Its  uses  in  tree  culture  are  to  open 
trenches  for  seeds,  to  cover  them,  to  loosen  and  clean  the 
surface  of  the  ground  from  weeds,  &c.  There  are  two 
kinds,  the  draw  hoe,  figs.  138,  139,  140,  and  the  Dutch, 


Fio.  138 

Square  draw  hoe. 


Fio.  139. 

Triangle  draw  hoe. 


or  thrust  hoe,  fig.  141 ; this  we  do  not  use  at  all.  Of  the 


MPLEMEirrS  OF  THE  SOIL. 


881 


different  kinds  and  forms  of  the  draw  hoe.  The  most 
generally  useful  is  the  square,  a cast  steel  plate,  about 


sii  inches  long  and  four  wide,  with  a light  smooth  handle. 
The  semicircular  and  triangle  hoes  may  be  advantageously 
used  in  certain  cases. 


Fio.  142. 
Gardsn  rake. 


The  Bake^  fig.  142,  is  used 
to  level,  smooth,  pulverize,  and 
clean  the  surface  of  the  ground 
after  it  has  been  spaded  or 
hoed,  or  to  prepare  it  for  seeds, 
&c.  They  are  of  different 
sizes,  with  from  six  to  twelve 
teeth.  The  best  are  those  of 
which  the  head  and  teeth  are 
drawn  out  of  a solid  bar  of 
steel.  Those  that  are  welded 
and  riveted  soon  get  out  ot 
order. 


Section  2. — ^Implements  for  Cutting. 

The  Pruninq  Saw. — ^This  is  used  for  cutting  off 


382  NURSERY  AND  FRUIT  GARDEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


branches,  either  too  large  for  the  knife,  or  so  situated  that 
the  knife  cannot  operate.  It  has  various  sizes  and  forms. 
Some  are  jointed,  and  fold  like  a pruning  knife ; others 
are  like  the  common  carpenter’s  handsaw,  fig.  143,  but 
smaller  and  stouter. 


Ftg.  145. — Pruning  saw. 


Fig.  144  — Bow  saw. 


The  Bow  Suw  (fig.  144).— This  is  the  most  generallj 
useful  form  for  the  gardener,  or  nurseryman.  The  blade 
is  very  narrow,  and  stiffened  by  an  arched  back.  It  is 
fastened  at  both  ends  by  a rivet  to  the  screw  on  which  the 
back  turns,  and  by  which  it  is  adapted  to  different  pur- 
poses. It  is  indispensable  in  making  horizontal  cuts,  close 
to  the  ground,  as  in  heading  down. 

Some  are  set  with  a double  row  of  teeth  on  one  side, 
and  the  edge  is  much  thicker  than  the  back ; these  work 
much  easier  than  those  toothed  in  the  ordinary  vray,  and 
it  would  be  an  object  to  have  them  where  much  saw  prun- 
ing is  to  be  done.  "Wherever  the  saw  is  used,  the  cut 
surfaces  should  be  pared  smooth  with  the  knife,  to  facili- 
tate’its  healing. 

Long  handled  pruning  saws  are  sometimes  recom* 
mended,  but  never  should  be  used  in  pruning  fruit  trees. 
The  branch  to  be  operated  should  be  reached  by  means 
of  a ladder,  if  need  be,  within  arm’s  length,  and  cut  witl) 


a common  saw. 


IMPLEMENTS  FOR  CUTTING. 


883 


Hand  Pruning  Shears  (fig.  146). — ^There  is  a kind  of 
f iiese  made  now,  that  having  a moving  centre,  as  in  the 


Fig.  146. 


figure,  make  a smooth  draw  cut  almost  equal  to  that  of  a 
knife,  and  it  is  a very  expeditious  instrument  in  the 
hand  of  a skilful  workman.  In  pruning  out  small  dead 
branches,  shortening  in  peach  trees,  &c.,  it  will  perform 
four  times  as  much  work  as  a knife. 

Pole  Pruning  Shears, — These  resemble  the  hand  shears, 
but  are  worked  by  a string  passing  over  a pulley,  and  are 
fixed  on  a pole  of  any  required  length.  They  are  used  in 
cutting  scions,  diseased  shoots,  &c.,  from  the  heads  of 
lofty  standard  trees. 

Grape  Scissors. — ^These 
are  small  sharp  pointed 
scissors  for  thinning 
bunches  of  grapes. 

The  Pruning  Knife. — ^The  best  tor  general  purposes 


Fig.  147. — The  pruning  knife.  Fig.  148. — The  budding  knife. 

are  those  of  medium  size,  with  a handle  about  four  inches 
long,  smooth,  slightly  hollowed  in  the  back ; the  blade 
about  three  and  a half  inches  long,  three-quarters  of  an 
inch  wide,  and  nearly  straight.  For  very  heavy  work  a 
larger  size  may  be  necessary.  Saynor’s”  (English) 
knives  of  this  kind  are  unsur])assed  in  material  and  finish. 


Mg.  146. — Grape  scissors. 


384 


NUBSEBT  AKD  FBUIT  GABDEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


They  are  to  be  had  in  the  seed  stores  at  $1  to  $1  2£ 
a-piece. 

The  Budding  Knife. — ^This  is  much  smaller  than  the 
pruning  knife,  with  a thin  straight  blade,  the  edge  some- 
times rounded  at  the  point.  The  handle  is  of  bone  or 
ivory,  and  has  a thin  wedge-shaped  end  for  raising  the 
bark.  Budders  have  various  fancies  about  shape  and 

The  Grafting  Chisel. 
— ^This  is  used  for 
splitting  large  stocks; 
the  blade  is  about  two 
inches  long,  and  an  inch  and  a half  wide,  in  the  shape  of 
a wedge ; the  edge  curved  so  as  to  cut,  and  not  tear  the 
bark ; the  handle  eight  or  ten  inches  long,  at  the  end  ol 
which  is  a narrow  wedge  to  keep  the  split  open  until  the 
scion  is  inserted.  The  whole  is  of  steel.  Some  are  made 
with  the  blade  in  the  middle,  the  wedge  at  one  end,  and 
a hook  to  hang  it  by  on  the  other. 

Footers  Stock  Splitter. — ^This  is  an  implement  invented 
by  A.  Foote,  Esq.,  of  Williamstown,  Mass.,  to  facilitate 
cleft  grafting.  It  consists  of  a sharp  blade,  (?,  and  a groove, 


a,  sheathed  with  leather;  the  handles  are  of  wood,  and 
the  whole  implement  about  eighteen  inches  long.  The 
stock  is  placed  in  the  groove,  and  the  blade  brought  down 
upon  it  by  the  lever  which  acts  upon  a small  wheel,  &. 

It  performs  splitting  both  neatly  and  quickly. 


I.  ADDERS  AND  FRUrr  GATHERERS. 


385 


Section  3. — Ladders  and  Fruit  Gatherers. 

Ladders, — Of  these  there  are  many  kinds.  Foi  tho 
fruit  garden,  where  the  trees  are  low,  the  self-supporting 
ladder  (fig.  151)  is  the  most  convenient  and  best.  It 
should  be  made  of  light  wood,  with  flat  steps,  so  that  a 
person  can  stand  upon  them  and 
work.  The  back,  or  supports,  con- 
sist of  one  or  two  light  pieces  of  tim- 
ber, fixed  at  the  top  with  hooks  and 
straps  so  as  to  be  contracted  or  ex- 
tended at  pleasure.  A ladder  of  this 
kind,  six  or  eight  feet  high,  will  an- 
swer all  the  demands  of  a garden. 

Orchard,  Ladders  are  of  various 
kinds.  For  pruning  or  gathering  the 
fruit  from  lofty  trees,  a great  length 
of  ladder  is  necessary ; it  is  there- 
fore desirable  that  the  material  be  as 
light  as  possible  consistent  with  the  necessary  strength. 

Sometimes  these  long  ladders  are  composed  of  severa’ 
smaller  ones,  that  fit  into  one  another,  all  mounted  on  ^ 
frame  with  a small  wheel,  by  which  they  are  easily 
moved  about. 

The  Folding  Ladder  is  a very  neat  and  convenie^^* 
article  for  many  purposes.  The  inside  of  the  styles  is 
hollowed  out,  and  the  steps  are  fastened  to  them  by  means 
of  iron  pins,  on  which  they  turn  as  on  hinges,  so  that  the 
two  sides  can  be  brought  together,  the  steps  turning  into 
the  grooves  or  hollows  in  them,  the  whole  appearing  like 
a round  pole,  B.  It  is  more  easily  carried  and  placed 
where  wanted  than  the  ordinary  ladder.  A represents  it 
open,  and  B closed  (fig.  152). 

'There  are  also  self-supporting  orchard  laddefrs,^  com- 

17 


Self-supporting  ladder 


386 


NURSERY  AND  FRUIT  GARDEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


posed  of  three  upright  pieces  of  any  required  lengthy  and 
spread  widely  at  the  bottom  to  give  them  stability.  Two 


P'lG.  152. 


Folding  ladder. 


^f  the  sides  are  fixed,  and  are  furnished  with  steps  ah 
the  way  up.  The  third  is  longer  and  movable,  and  can 
be  extended  or  contracted  at  pleasure. 

A piece  of  board  wide  enough  to  stand  upon  can  be 
extended  from  one  side  to  the  other,  resting  upon  the 
steps  at  whatever  height  it  is  desirable  to  work.  On  the 
movable  side  a pulley  is  fixed,  by  which  the  baskets  of 
fruit  are  let  down  as  they  are  gathered.  Two  persons  or 
more  can  ascend  and  work  on  a 
ladder  at  the  same  time.  Fig. 

153  represents  one  of  these  ; a. 

5,  the  two  fixed  sides ; ^7,  the 
movable  one.  It  is  considera- 
bly used  in  France. 

The  Orchardists^  Hook. — Is 
a light  rod,  with  a hook  on  one 
end,  and  a movable  piece  of 
wood  that  slides  along  it. 

The  person  gathering  fruit 
draws  the  branch  towards  him 
with  the  hooked  end,  and  re- 
tains it  there  by  means  of  the 
sliding  piece  which  is  hooked 
to  another  branch.  This  is  an  indispensable  instrument 
in  gathering  fruit  from  large  trees. 

F^mt  Gatherers. — Of  these  there  are  many  designs  b}’ 


I 


Fia  153. 

French  self-supporting  orchard 
ladder. 


MACIIINEB  FOR  WATERING. 


387 


which  the  fruit  may  be  taken  from  the  tree  by  a person 
standing  on  the  ground.  None  of  them  are  applicable  to 
the  gathering  of  fruits  that  are  to  be  kept  long,  because 
it  is  impossible  to  avoid  bruising  them  more  or  less,  and 
besides  this  they  operate  slowly.  They  answer  very  well 
for  gathering  a few  ripe  specimens  for  immediate  consump- 
tion. The  ladder^  hooh^  and  Tiand^  are  the  only  safe  and 
expeditious  fruit  gatherers.  Some  are  made  in  the  form 
of  a vase  of  wood  or  tin  placed  on  the  end  of  a pole.  The 
edge  of  the  vase  is  toothed,  and  when  the  stem  of  the 
fruit  is  taken  between  tw^o  of  the  teeth,  and  slightly 
twisted,  it  drops.  Others  are  composed  of  a pair  of 
shears  on  the  end  of  a pole,  to  which  a basket  is  attached 
that  slides  up  and  down  the  handle. 

The  Grajpe  Gatherer  resembles  a pair  of  shears  com- 
bining the  property  of  pincers.  They  cut  a bunch  of 
grapes,  and  hold  it  firmly  until  it  is  brought  down. 
These  are  very  useful  for  gathering  a few  bunches  of 
grapes  from  the  top  of  a house  or  trellis  (fig.  154). 


Section  4, — Machines  for  Watering. 

The  Hand  Syringe  (fig.  155). — This  is  a very  n 
implement  for  sprinkling  and  washing  the  foliage  o/  creee 
in  dry  w^eather.  There  are  various  kinds  made  A tin, 
copper,  and  brass,  and  sold  at  various  prices.  W latevei 
sort  IS  used  should  have  several  caps  {A)  to  re^  date  the 


38'8 


NURSEKY  AND  FRUIT  GARDEN  IMPLEMENTS. 


quantity  or  shower  of  winter  discharged ; and  they  should 
also  have  an  inverted  or  ‘‘  gooseneck”  one  {£)  to  throw 


the  stream,  if  necessary,  on  the  under  side  of  leaves,  or 
in  any  oblique  direction. 

There  are,  also,  hand  engines^  haml  engines^  and  IkiT’ 
row  engines^  all  of  which  are  very  useful.  In  every 
large  garden  there  should  be  both  the  syringe  and  ont  of 
these  engines  ; for  watering  is  a most  important  aifa?'  in 
gardening  under  our  hot  sun  and  protracted  dro'igVr 


Fig.  156. 

Barrow  Engine. 

The  Ba/rrow  Engine  (fig.  156)  is  the  most  usefal  for 
general  purposes  ; it  is  easily  moved  from  one  place  to 
another.  The  improved  kinds  are  easily  worked,  and  the 


MACHINES  FOR  WATERING. 


389 


<^'ale)'-box  being  provided  with  a strainer,  excludes  any- 
thing likely  to  derange  its  operations. 

The  Garden  Watering^ot 
(fig.  157). — This  is  a tin  or 
copper  vessel  that  may  hold 
from  one  to  four  gallonp,  of 
water,  with  a spout  six  or 
eight  inches  long,  by  which 
the  water  is  discharged. 

There  should  be  a rose  or 
roses,  as  in  cut,  to  fit  on  the 
spout,  pierced  with  targe  or  small  holes,  by  which  the 
water  can  be  discharged  in  a shower.  Every  pot  may 
have  several  roses  pierced  with  holes  of  various  sizes,  to 
adapt  them  to  ditferent  purposes. 


‘ii  ’•*V  VC’ 


; ;i. 


j’t. 


■;  ■ •;'.  ’'Pit •'••-?'’ 


I.  V 


• ’i 


■■uH 


INDEX 


Air,  miportance  of,  to  the  germination  of  seeds,  46. 

AUtivial  soils,  nature  of,  49. 

Almonds,  select  varieties  of,  351. 

Anthers,  the,  28. 

Ants,  method  of  destroying,  373. 

Aphis,  the,  how  to  destroy,  134,  366 ; the  woolly  aphis  or  American  biignt, 
366 ; the  scaly  aphis  or  bark  louse,  367. 

Apple,  the.  principal  stocks  in  use  for,  108;  time  for  budding,  133;  dwarf 
apple  tree,  189 ; pruning  the,  203 ; management  of  the  standard  apple 
tree,  204 ; dwarf  standards,  206 ; pyramids,  207 ; pruning  the  branched 
yearling,  210 ; treatment  of  two-year  old  nursery  trees,  211 ; management 
of  the  fruit  branches,  217 ; pruning  and  management  of,  as  a dwarf  on  the 
paradise  stock,  218;  as  an  espalier,  220;  renovation  of  pyramidal  trees, 
271;  fire  blight  of,  361;  insects  infesting  the,  367;  apple  tree  borer, 
description  of,  and  means  of  destroying,  ib, ; the  apple  worm,  368. 

Apples,  forms  of,  40  ; abridged  descriptions  of  one  hundred  an»i  thirty^ three 
■ select  varieties  of  summer,  autumn,  winter,  and  apples  for  ornament  and 
preserving,  279-297 ; small  select  lists  of,  suitable  for  Western  New 
York,  297. 

Apricot,  the,  stocks  for,  119;  as  a dwarf  standard,  194;  pruning  and  ma- 
nagement of,  245. 

Apricots,  abridged  descriptions  of  seven  select  varieties  of,  320,  321. 

Ash,  the  mountain,  as  a stock  for  the  pear,  115. 

Bark,  the  outer,  4 ; the  inner,  5. 

Barrow  engine,  the,  388. 

Berberries,  method  of  propagating,  148 ; select  varieties  of,  347. 

Birds,  manner  of  protecting  fruit  against,  375. 

Black  knot,  the,  or  plum  wart,  364 

Blackberries,  347. 

Blossoming,  period  of,  influenced  by  various  conditions,  31,  32 ; in  altemata 
years,  34. 


392 


INDEX. 


Branches,  the,  various  subdivisions  of,  7 ; pruning,  88  ; removal  of  large,  89  *, 
management  of  fruit,  217. 

Budding,  method  of,  70 ; conditions  necessary  to  the  operation  of,  7 1 ; imple 
ments  requisite  for,  71,  72;  cutting,  preparing,  and  preserving  the  buds, 
72;  chief  difficulty  experienced  by  beginners  in,  74,  75;  time  for,  133; 
insertion  of  the  bud,  134  ; untying  the  buds,  135;  treatment  of  the  grow- 
ing bud,  136. 

Buds,  nature  and  functions  of,  14;  different  names  and  characters  of,  15; 
variations  in  the  size,  form,  and  prominence  of  leaf  buds,  17 ; fruit  buds 
18 ; leaf  and  fruit  buds  how  distinguished,  20. 

Bushes,  dwarf,  142. 

Calcareous  or  chalky  soils,  nature  of,  49. 

Calyx,  the,  28. 

Cambium,  nature  of,  24. 

Canada  or  wild  plum,  the,  120 ; time  for  budding,  133. 

Canker  worm,  the,  368. 

Cart,  the  one-horse,  378. 

Caterpillars,  methods  of  destroying,  369. 

Cats,  method  of  protecting  trees  from,  376. 

Cherries,  forms  of,  43 ; abridged  descriptions  of  fifty-five  select  varieties  of 
heart,  bigarreau,  duke  and  morello,  and  new  and  rare  cherries  lecenuy 
brought  to  notice,  321-329  ; small  select  lists  of,  329. 

Cherry,  the,  principal  stocks  in  use  for,  115;  time  for  budding,  133;  in  the 
pyramidal  form,  191  ; pruning  the,  224;  as  a standard,  225;  to  form  a 
round  open  head,  225 ; as  a pyramid,  226  ; as  an  espalier,  227  ; as  a dwarf 
or  bush,  228 ; effects  of  the  disease  called  gum  on,  362. 

Chestnuts,  method  of  propagating,  148 ; select  varieties  of,  351,  352. 

Chinese  layering,  description  of  the  process  so  called,  122,  125. 

Chisel,  the  grafting,  384. 

Clayey  soils,  nature  of,  48. 

Cleft  grafting,  79. 

Corolla,  the,  28. 

Cotyledons,  the,  44. 

Cultivator,  the,  377. 

Curl  of  the  leaf  in  the  peacn,  the,  364. 

Currant,  the,  method  of  propagating,  147 ; pruning  and  management  of,  265 , 
as  a pyramid  and  espalier,  266. 

Currants,  abridged  descriptions  of  eleven  select  varieties  of,  341,  342. 

Cutting  back,  object  of,  207  ; process  of,  208 ; summer  management  of  trees 
cut  back,  213. 

Cuttings  of  fruit  trees,  how  to  make,  65 ; time  of  making,  soil  proper  for, 
and  time  of  planting,  66 ; method  of  preserving,  67 ; treatment  of,  when 
transplanted,  127. 


INDEX. 


393 


Diseases  of  fruit,  trees,  description  of  and  remedies  for,  361. 

Distance  at  wliich  standards  should  be  planted  in  the  nursery,  129. 

Double-working,  explanation  of,  81. 

Do^cain,  the,  method  of  propagating,  110 

Draining,  process  of,  52. 

Dubreuil,  M.,  his  summary  of  the  general  principles  of  pruning,  96. 

Dung  fork,  the,  379. 

Dwarl  standards,  131 ; management  of,  140,  206;  dwarf  bushes,  142;  dwarf 
apple  j ee  189  ; the  cherry  as  a dwarf  or  bush,  228. 

Enclosures,  various  kinds  of,  for  orchards,  163:  for  fruit  gardens,  181. 

Espaliers,  method  of  forming,  143;  proper  distances  between,  201;  the 
apple  and  pear  as,  220  ; the  cherry  as,  227  ; the  peach  as,  236  ; method  of 
laying  in,  and  fastening  to  walls  and  trellises,  243 ; the  currant  as,  266. 

FeiKses,  materials  for  malting,  for  orchards,  163;  for  garaens,  181. 

Fibres,  the,  or  rootlets,  2. 

Fig,  the,  propagation  of,  160;  suitable  soil  for,  261;  pruning  and  training 
of,  ib. 

Figs,  select  varieties  of,  350,  351. 

Filbert,  the,  method  of  propagating,  148;  as  a dwarl  and  pyramid,  194; 
pruning  and  training,  257  ; account  of  the  management  of  filher^  orchards 
in  the  county  of  Kent,  England,  ib. 

Filberts,  abridged  descriptions  of  six  varieties  of,  352. 

Fire  blight,  the,  of  the  pear,  apple,  and  quince,  361. 

Flowers,  different  parts  of,  28 ; sexual  distinctions  of,  29  ; method  of  im- 
piegnation  of,  30 ; double,  31;  different  characters  of,  32;  hybridization 
of,  33. 

Foote'S  stock  splitter,  384. 

Fruit  rooms,  requisites  for,  359. 

Fruit  trees,  names,  descriptions,  and,  offices  of  the  different  parts  of,  1 ; fruit 
branches  and  fruit  spurs,  10  ; fruit  buds,  20;  propagation  of,  by  seeds,  60; 
general  carelessness  in  the  selection  of  the  seeds  of,  61 ; production  of  new 
varieties  of,  63 ; propagation  of,  by  cuttings,  65 ; propagation  of,  by  layer- 
ing, 67 — by  suckers  and  by  budding,  70;  propagation  of,  by  grafting,  75; 
pruning  of,  83  ; method  of  regulating  the  growth  of,  92 ; method  of  pro- 
moting the  fruitfulness  of,  by  pinching,  94 ; budding,  grafting,  and  manage- 
ment of,  in  the  nursery,  132;  taking  up.  from  the  nursery,  150;  method 
of  packing,  151;  process  of  heeling  in,  153;  permanent  plantations  of, 
157;  proper  soils  for  different,  162;  points  to  be  considered  in  selecting 
varieties  of,  for  an  orchard,  164;  arrangement  of,  in  an  orchard,  167;, 
pruning  and  preparing,  for  planting,  174;  how  to  select,  for  the  fruit  gar- 
den, 188,  195;  age  of,  for  the  fruit  garden,  195;  arrangement  of,  in  the- 
fruit  garden,  199 ; sundry  operations  connected  with  the  culture  of,  272^. 
.diseases  peculiar  to,  361  ; insects  injurious  to,  365. 


394 


INDEX. 


Fruitfulness,  n-iethod  of  promoting,  by  pinching,  94. 

Fruits,  nature  and  classification  of,  34,  35 ; forms  and  colors  of,  36 ; different 
parts  of,  ib  ; size  of,  circumstances  influencing  the,  37 ; classification  oi 
the  size  of,  39  ; form  of,  40  ; color  and  flavor  of,  43  ; abridged  description! 
of  select  varieties  of,  277  ; directions  for  the  gathering,  packing,  transpor- 
tation, and  preservation  of,  354 ; the  best  fruit  gatherers,  387. 

Fruit  Garden,  the,  general  remarks  on,  178;  situation  for,  179  ; soil  of,  180, 
enclosures  for,  181 ; manner  of  laying  out,  183;  the  mixed,  or  fruit  and 
kitchen,  185 w^alks  in,  186 ; a supply  of  water  important  for,  187 ; how 
to  select  trees  for,  188,  195;  age  of  trees  for,  195;  arrangement  of  tree! 
in,  199 ; implements  used  in,  377 ; machines  for  watering,  387. 

Gathering  fruits,  proper  period  for,  354  ; mode  of,  355  ; disposition  of  fruiti 
after  gathering.  356  ; implements  used  in,  386. 

Germination,  process  of,  45. 

Gooseberries,  abridged  descriptions  of  five  select  varieties  of,  342,  343. 

Gooseberry,  the  method  of  propagating,  147 ; pruning,  262 ; method  prac- 
tised in  Lancashire  to  produce  large  gooseberries,  264 ; severely  affected 
by  the  mildew,  363. 

Grafting,  process  and  objects  of,  75 ; implements  used  in,  and  grafting  com- 
position, 77 ; whip-grafting  on  the  root,  78 ; cleft  grafting,  79  ; precau- 
tions to  be  taken  in,  81 ; double- working,  ib.;  implements  used  in,  384. 

Grape  vine,  the,  methods  of  propagating,  145 ; general  observations  on  the 
management  of,  245 ; planting,  248 ; pruning,  249. 

Grapes,  culture  of  foreign,  in  cold  vineries,  253;  abridged  descriptions  of 
four  select  varieties  of  hardy  grapes  and  nine  varieties  of  foreign  grape^ 
348-350 ; instrument  for  gathering,  387. 

Gravelly  soils,  nature  of  49. 

Growth  of  trees,  method  of  regulating  the,  93. 

Gum,  the,  in  stone  fruits,  362. 

Heading  down,  process  of,  85. 

Heart  or  perfect  wood,  the,  5. 

Heat,  effect  of,  on  the  germination  of  seeds,  46. 

Heeling  in,  process  of,  1 53. 

Hoe,  the,  two  kinds  of,  380. 

Hogs,  method  of  protecting  trees  against  injuries  caused  by,  376 

nook,  the  orchardist’s,  386 

Horse  plum,  the,  119. 

Hybridization,  explanation  of  the  process  of,  33. 

Implements  used  in  the  orchard,  nursery,  and  fruit  garden,  377. 

Insects,  the  principal,  which  infest  fruit  trees,  365. 

Knife,  the  pruning,  383 ; the  budding,  384. 


ESTDEX. 


395 


i /b®ls  for  trees  in  the  nursery,  149  ; manner  of  labelling,  150. 

Ladders,  orchard,  folding,  and  self-supporting,  385. 

Layering,  process  of,  67,  125;  propagation  of  plums  by,  122;  treatment  of 
layers  when  transplanted,  127. 

Leaf  rollers,  374 

Leaves,  structure  and  function  of,  21 ; different  forms  and  characters  of,  25. 

Light,  exclusion  of,  necessary  for  the  germination  of  seeds,  47. 

Line  and  reel,  the,  380. 

Loamy  soils,  nature  of,  49. 

Mahaleb,  the,  117. 

Manures,  importance  of,  54 ; preparation  of,  55 ; special,  56 ; modes  of  apply* 
ing,  58 ; liquid,  ib. 

Manuring,  proper  method  of,  272. 

Mazzard  seedlings,  115. 

Medlar,  the,  treatment  of,  same  as  that  of  the  quince,  224. 

Medullary  rays,  7. 

Mice,  method  of  protecting  fruit  trees  from  the  ravages  of,  375. 

Mildew,  the,  in  the  peach,  363. 

Moisture,  effects  of,  on  the  germination  of  seeds,  45. 

Moles,  method  of  guarding  against  the  ravages  of,  376. 

Mulberries,  method  of  propagating,  148  ; varieties  of,  348 

Mulching,  operation  of,  176,  273. 

Nectarine,  the,  stocks  for,  119  ; as  a dwarf  standard,  194;  pruning  the,  246. 

Nectarines,  abridged  descriptions  of  seven  select  varieties  of,  329,  330. 

Nursery,  the,  soil  of,  105 ; method  of  laying  out,  107  ; situation  of,  ana 
succession  of  crops  in,  ib. ; directions  for  planting  stocks  in  the  nursery 
rows,  127 ; budding,  grafting,  and  management  of  trees  in,  132  ; treatment 
of  the  soil  in,  144 ; labels  for  trees  in,  149 ; taking  up  trees  from,  150 ; 
implements  used  in,  377. 

Orchard,  the,  situation  of,  158;  soil  of,  161;  howto  prepare  the  soil  for, 
162;  selection  of  varieties  of  fruit  trees  for  the  family,  164;  kind  of  trees 
to  be  selected  for,  166;  arrangement  of  the  trees  in,  167;  selection  of 
trees  for  the  market,  169 ; planting  the,  175 ; management  of  trees  ia 
177  ; implements  used  in,  377,  385. 

Ovary,  the,  29. 

Packing  trees,  proper  method  of,  151 ; method  of  packing  fruits,  357. 

Paradise,  the,  method  of  propagating,  111. 

Parenchyma,  nature  of,  22. 

Parsons,  S.  B.,  his  orchard  of  pear  trees,  172. 

Peach,  the,  principal  stocks  for,  117  ; times  for  budding,  133;  as  a uwarf 
standard,  193 ; pruning  and  management  of,  229 ; to  form  the  head  of  a 


596 


INDEX. 


Standard  peach  tree,  231 ; root  pruning,  233  ; conducted  in  the  form  of  h 
vase,  ib. ; as  an  espalier,  236 ; symptoms  of  the  yellows  and  mildew 
363  ; insects  infesting,  373. 

Peaches,  forms  of,  42 ; abridged  descriptions  of  thirty-eight  select  varieti'>s 
of  freestone  and  clingstoi/e,  330-335 : select  list  of,  335. 

Pear,  the,  principal  stocks  in  use  for.  111 ; time  for  budding,  133 ; as  a pyra 
mid,  190,  207  ; in  the  dwarf  standard  form,  191,  206;  management  of  the 
standard  pear  tree,  204;  pruning  the  branched  yearling,  210 ; treatment 
of  two-year  old  nursery  trees,  211  ; management  of  the  fruit  branches, 
217 ; as  an  espalier,  220 ; renovation  of  pyramidal  trees,  271  ; fire  blight 
of,  361 ; pear  leaf  blight,  362. 

Pears,  forms  of,  41 ; varieties  of,  that  succeed  well  on  the  quince,  17‘/ ; 
abridged  descriptions  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-two  select  varieties  of 
summer,  autumn,  winter,  pears  for  baking  and  stewing,  and  new  and  rare 
varieties,  299-319;  select  assortments  of,  312;  method  of  packing  lor 
distant  markets,  358. 

Peaty  soil,  nature  of,  49. 

Petals,  the,  28. 

Pick,  the,  380. 

Pinching,  nature  and  objects  of,  92 

Pistil,  the,  29. 

Pith,  the,  5. 

Plant  louse,  the,  ravages  of,  and  method  of  destroying,  365,  366. 

Plantations  of  fruit  trees,  different  kinds  of,  157. 

Plants,  exhalation  of  moisture  and  gases  by,  22 ; propagation  of,  60. 

Plough,  the  subsoil  and  one-horse,  377. 

fUoughing,  subsoil,  50. 

Plum,  the,  stocks  for,  119:  the  horse,  ib.;  the  Canada,  or  wild,  120;  th^ 
cherry  plum,  ii. ; the  sloe  as  a stock  for,  121 ; propagated  by  layers,  122; 
time  for  budding,  133;  as  a pyramid,  192;  as  a dwarf  standard,  193; 
pruning  and  management  of,  244 ; diseases  of,  364. 

Plums,  forms  of,  42 ; abridged  descriptions  of  fifty-one  select  varieties  of, 
335-340;  small  select  lists  of,  341. 

Plumule,  the,  44. 

Pruning,  importance  of  the  operation  of,  83 ; various  objects  to  be  attained 
by,  84 ; to  direct  the  growth  from  one  part  to  another,  ib. ; heading  down, 
85 ; to  maintain  an  equal  growth,  to  renew  growth,  and  to  induce  fruit- 
fulness, 86 ; pruning  the  roots  and  pruning  at  the  time  of  transplanting, 
87;  mechanically  considered,  88;  season  for,  91 ; general  principles  of,  as 
laid  down  by  Dubreuil,  96;  directions  for  the  pruning  of  stocks,  125; 
pruning  the  apple  and  the  pear,  203  ; the  quince,  222;  the  cherry,  224; 
the  peach,  229  ; the  plum,  244 ; the  apricot,  245 : the  nectarine,  246 ; 
grape  vines,  ib. ; the  filbert,  257 ; the  fig,  260 ; the  gooseberry.  262 ; the 
currant,  265;  th;  raspberry,  267 ; implements  used  in,  381. 


INDEX. 


397 


rvidtni^s,  management  of,  140,  207  ; renovation  of,  271. 

c 

Quince,  tne,  as  a stock  for  the  pear,  113;  erroneous  ideas  conceming/114; 
as  a dwarf  and  pyramid,  194;  pruning  and  training  of,  222;  fire  blight 
of,  361. 

Quinces,  abrid2^ea  Uesciiptions  of  seven  select  varieties  of,  319,  320. 

Rake,  the,  381. 

Raspberries,  forms  of,  43  ; method  of  prof»agating,  148  ; abridged  descriptions 
of  six  select  varieties  ol,  343,  344. 

Raspberry,  the,  planting  of,  267  ; pruning,  268;  manuring  and  training,  269; 
French  and  English  modes  of  training,  269,  270. 

Root,  the,  the  several  parts  of,  2 ; growth  of,  3 ; "whip-grafting  on,  78 
pruning,  87,  90  ; metnod  of  planting  root-grafts,  131. 

Rosebug,  the,  374.  ■ . : 

Sandy  soils,  nature  of,  48. 

Sap,  the,  ascent,  assimilation,  and  descent  of,  24 ; tendency  of,  to  the  grow- 
ing points  at  the  top  of  a tree,  85. 

Sap-  wood,  the,  5. 

Saw,  the  pruning,  381 ; the  bow,  382. 

Scions,  selection  and  treatment  of,  for  grafting.  76. 

Scissors,  grape,  383. 

Seed,  the,  composition  of,  44 ; germination  of,  45 ; propagation  by,  60 ; 

^selection  of,  61. 

Se'^ing  apple,  the  common  or  free  stock,  preparing,  saving,  and  planting 
tM  seed  of,  108;  after  management  of,  109;  the  peai  seedling,  111. 

Shears,  hand  jjTuning  and  pole  pruning,  383. 

Shovel,  the,  379. 

Sloe,  the,  as  a stock  for  the  plum,  121 

Soils,  different  kinds  of,  48 ; different  modes  of  improving,  50 ; proper,  foi 
the  orchard,  161  ; annual  cultivation  ot  the  soil,  272. 

Spade,  the,  378 ; the  forked  spade,  379. 

Spongioles,  the,  3- 

Staking,  process  of,  176. 

Stamens,  the,  28. 

Standards,  management  ot,  137 ; dwarf,  management  of,  140. 

Stena,  the,  the  different  parts  of,  4 ; structure  and  growth  of,  6 ; the  branches 
divisions  of,  7 ; pruning,  88. 

Stigma,  the.  29 

Stocks,  necessity  of  a close  alliance  between,  and  grafts,  76;  description  and 
propagation  of,  1 08 ; for  the  apple,  to. ; for  the  pear.  111;  for  the  cherry, 
115  ; for  the  peach.  117  ; for  the  apricot,  nectarine,  and  plum,  119 ; trans- 
planting, 122;  time  and  manner  of  taking  up,  124;  pruning  storks,  125* 


398 


INDEX. 


planting  in  the  nursery  rows,  127 ; treatment  of,  after  planting,  132 ; timi 
for  budding,  133 ; preparation  of,  and  insertion  of  the  bud,  134. 

Strawberries,  forms  of,  43 ; method  of  propagating,  147  ; abridged  descri| 
tions  of  twenty-six  select  varieties  of,  344-346. 

Style,  the,  29. 

Subsoil  ploughing,  50  the  subsoil  plough,  377. 

Suckers,  propagation  ot  fruit  trees  by  means  of,  70. 

Syringe,  the  hand,  387. 

Temperature,  method  of  protecting  trees  against  extremes  of,  273 

Thorn,  the,  as  a stock  for  the  pear,  115. 

Transplanting  stocks,  directions  for,  122. 

Tree,  a,  general  remarks  upon  the  structure  of,  1 ; the  root,  2 ; the  stem,  4 
the  branches,  7 ; the  buds,  14 ; the  leaves,  21 : the  flowers,  28 ; the  frufl 
34  ; the  seed,  44. 

Trellises,  form  and  construction  of,  182. 

Trenching,  process  of,  51. 

Varieties  of  fruits,  abridged  descriptions  of  select,  277. 

Vineyards,  culture  of,  252. 

Walks,  manner  of  laying  out,  in  the  fruit  garden,  186. 

Walnuts,  method  of  propagating,  149  j abridged  descriptions  of  varietiei 
of,  353. 

Water,  a supply  of,  important  for  a fruit  garden,  187. 

Watering,  beneficial  eflfects  of,  in  fruit  trees,  273;  machines  for,  387;  ^ 
garden  watering-pot,  389. 

Wheelbarrow,  the,  378. 

Whip-grafting  on  the  root,  78. 

Wilder,  M.  P.,  compost  recommended  by,  for  gardening  puipoaea,  (57 


Vellowi,  the,  in  the  peach,  3(53. 


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